Around 2,500 jobs are to be cut by Lancashire County Council as it identifies savings of £300m over the next four years.
In a proposal going to the council’s cabinet next week, staff will be encouraged to apply for voluntary redundancy in a bid to reduce the workforce by 2,500 full time posts by April 2016.
Leader of the council, Jennifer Mein, said; ‘This is the harsh reality of the cuts being imposed by Government, as we seek to find £300m savings on top of the £220m the council has saved over the last three years.
’The council simply cannot make these savings without significant reductions both in the services it provides to local communities and in the number of people it employs to deliver those services.
’These are decisions we would rather not have to make, but I am determined to lead the council through this period in a way that makes the changes as fair as possible to the public and employees alike.
’That includes giving the people who work here a clear understanding of where we're going and doing everything we can to avoid compulsory redundancies.’
’My hope is that enough people will choose to go on a voluntary basis and our proposed approach has that outcome in mind.’
Councillors will be asked to agree to set the terms for voluntary redundancy at reduced levels for future years, although employees can apply to leave on the current terms until the end of March this year.
