North Tyneside Council has announced plans to cut 200 jobs as it grapples to balance its books.
The council said it was facing a £9.5m overspend this year and finding it ‘increasingly difficult’ to set a balanced budget.
It has asked staff to consider voluntary redundancy and options for flexible retirement or reduced hours.
After this initial stafe of its workforce review, which is expected to take 12-18 months, North Tyneside said it may consider compulsory redundancies and deleting vacant posts.
The plans would see the council's 4,000-strong workforce cut by 5%.
Director of resources Jon Ritchie said: ‘We appreciate that this will be an opportunity for some colleagues, and an unsettling time for others, and we’re working with trade unions and our People team to ensure everyone is supported.’
