Councils have announced plans to cut nearly 12,000 jobs to meet 2016/17 budget plans, according to new research from GMB.
The trade union said it has identified 17 councils that have announced job cuts, so the 11,766 figure could be the ‘tip of the iceberg’.
Justin Bowden, GMB national officer for local council workers, said: ‘The full extent of the cuts will be revealed in the Spending Review on 25th November. Spending in some parts of the public sector like local councils will be half that in 2010. These same councils have to cope with increased pressures from the care sector and other upward cost pressures.
‘The last round of local government job losses were described as cutting council services to the bone. The further 30% cut will mean amputations as councils and other public services are forced to decide which services they stop providing altogether.’
GMB said Glasgow City Council was planning to lose 3,000 jobs, Edinburgh City Council was scrapping 2,000 posts while Cumbria Council was cutting 1,800 jobs.
