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| Powys council cuts: Around 200 staff could lose jobs | Powys council cuts: Around 200 staff could lose jobs |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Councillors are discussing plans to cut around 200 staff at Powys council as the authority bids to balance its budget. | |
| The council is facing a £30m shortfall in funding over the next three years and is planning a range of savings. | The council is facing a £30m shortfall in funding over the next three years and is planning a range of savings. |
| The job losses could save £4.8m, but the authority also proposes reducing 75% of community grants and charging sixth formers for school transport. | |
| Unison has said the job cuts are the "tip of the iceberg". | Unison has said the job cuts are the "tip of the iceberg". |
| The council, which has 5,000 full-time staff, revealed last month it was facing a £30m reduction in its base budget over the next three years after receiving the lowest funding increase in Wales. | The council, which has 5,000 full-time staff, revealed last month it was facing a £30m reduction in its base budget over the next three years after receiving the lowest funding increase in Wales. |
| The Welsh government said at the time that the settlement for councils in Wales was "better than they expected". | The Welsh government said at the time that the settlement for councils in Wales was "better than they expected". |
| The council's cabinet has since approved a new operating model and restructure as part of its response to the financial challenges. | The council's cabinet has since approved a new operating model and restructure as part of its response to the financial challenges. |
| The full council is due to vote on whether to accept the budget cuts at a meeting on in Llandrindod Wells on Thursday. | |
| A number of senior posts are under threat as the authority looks to reduce its workforce by 4%. | A number of senior posts are under threat as the authority looks to reduce its workforce by 4%. |
| "The changes will initially affect senior positions and will include a job evaluation process," said council leader David Jones. | "The changes will initially affect senior positions and will include a job evaluation process," said council leader David Jones. |
| "We will have a leaner workforce, but one based on more rewarding jobs allowing people to be more productive." | "We will have a leaner workforce, but one based on more rewarding jobs allowing people to be more productive." |
| Mr Jones said the council had been warning residents, staff and service users for sometime that fundamental change was needed, and the new operating model and restructure were the start of that process. | Mr Jones said the council had been warning residents, staff and service users for sometime that fundamental change was needed, and the new operating model and restructure were the start of that process. |
| "We will be focussing on the roles and responsibilities of individuals and services across the whole organisation," he added. | "We will be focussing on the roles and responsibilities of individuals and services across the whole organisation," he added. |
| "During this transformation our emphasis has to be on creating a leaner more efficient organisation, one that drives service improvement in all areas and not one that simply cuts service provision in response to financial pressures." | "During this transformation our emphasis has to be on creating a leaner more efficient organisation, one that drives service improvement in all areas and not one that simply cuts service provision in response to financial pressures." |
| 'Cascaded down' | 'Cascaded down' |
| Unison regional organiser Andrew Woodman is critical of the planned job losses. | Unison regional organiser Andrew Woodman is critical of the planned job losses. |
| "The management posts that they have decided to shed are hardly going to be a drop in the ocean in meeting the budget deficit," he said. | "The management posts that they have decided to shed are hardly going to be a drop in the ocean in meeting the budget deficit," he said. |
| "My fear is that these job losses are just the tip of the iceberg and that they will soon be cascaded down through all levels of the council. | "My fear is that these job losses are just the tip of the iceberg and that they will soon be cascaded down through all levels of the council. |
| "Unison is fully aware of the financial pressures that councils across Wales are facing, but plugging the gap by cutting jobs is not the answer." | "Unison is fully aware of the financial pressures that councils across Wales are facing, but plugging the gap by cutting jobs is not the answer." |