THE countdown has started to the privatisation of town hall services in Middlesbrough.

Four private sector companies, all with an interest in taking over the running of some council departments, made their presentations to Labour- controlled Middlesbrough Borough Council, yesterday.

The council said the proposals from all four would be subject to further detailed scrutiny before the final choice of a "strategic partner'' was made in early October.

However, the unions have been told to expect a decision on September 22, just three weeks after the four - Amey, Capita Business Services, Hyder Business Services and PriceWaterhouse Coopers - repeat their presentations to the unions and staff on two consecutive days.

The unions say the jobs of up to 1,049 council workers could be affected. Unison branch secretary Teresa Higgins said: "We are waiting to see what their proposals are.

"Up to this point, we don't know what they are each bidding for.

"What we are waiting for is definite confirmation as to whether this is going to happen or not. We have been told the company which wins the partnership will be known on September 22.

"As branch secretary of the union, we have not been informed that the date has been extended.''

The four will make their presentations to union representatives on Wednesday, and to the workforce on Thursday.

Councillor Sylvia Connolly, the council's commissioner for resources, said the partnership the council wanted would put Middlesbrough "at the forefront of modernising the way in which we provide services to the local community''.

She said: "It will, we believe, enable us to invest the maximum level of resources in frontline services. It will mean that we can develop many new ways of making it easier for people to access those services.

"As well as protecting existing jobs, it holds out the prospect of bringing new employment to the town.''

She said all four companies were responding to "the council's determination to sustain the jobs, terms and conditions of Middlesbrough council employees involved in services covered by the partnership''.