Liverpool Council is to go out to consultation on potential job losses as delaying any decision could cost the local authority millions of pounds.
Amid a £73m budget shortfall, Mayor Joanne Anderson warned last month that cuts to services and job losses are "inevitable" as the local authority faces up to “horrific” budget options for next year. A document outlining how best the city may make significant savings was published in November and Mayor Anderson said officials would try to “ensure the smallest amount of job losses.”
Potential cuts to roles were discussed by members of the city council’s finance and resources committee, with Jacqui McKinlay, chief operating officer, confirming the organisation would move to go out to consultation with staff and unions. She said the council had an "aspiration" of no job losses moving forward as a result of the budget and is keen to get people repositioned and upskilled.
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"We're keen not to lose people," she added. The authority is moving as quickly as possible, Ms McKinlay said, as delaying any consultation would cost an additional £1m a month, and assured members that staff under pressure will be notified “in good time.”
Deputy Mayor Cllr Jane Corbett, said pressures around jobs are "really difficult for the city, really difficult for the staff." Labour group chief whip Cllr Ruth Bennett said it must "stick in the craw" of staff to hear of job cuts in the budget proposals amid almost £100,000 a month being paid for interim post holders.
It was revealed last month how the cash-strapped council is spending thousands on staff acting as placeholders as it struggles to fill roles on a full-time basis. Ms McKinlay admitted it was expensive but the council “couldn’t have gaps” in key positions such as the finance director and chief executive.
Mayor Anderson said recruitment hopes to be completed for the posts by the elections in May but there are indications it could be earlier from officers. The council is also continuing to pay thousands of pounds for the now five-strong team of Whitehall-appointed commissioners overseeing the running of the city.
They are expected to be in situ until June 2024.
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