More jobs go at Shropshire Council as cuts bite

The council today also revealed it is selling off millions of pounds of development land and buildings in an effort to boost funds.

The authority, which has made 1,119 workers redundant over the last three years, said that the latest figures include voluntary and compulsory redundancies.

They are made up of 17 workers being made redundant from the council itself, and 43 from schools. Another 73 council jobs are the subject of a 45-day consultation period, along with 99 members of school staff.

Last month Shropshire Council revealed it had spent £18.6 million on redundancies in the past few years, with 1,119 workers leaving the authority. It said that 72 per cent of the job losses had come through voluntary redundancy.

The council's chief executive, Clive Wright, said the redundancies have saved the council £160 million and would result in further savings of £90 million each and every year in the future.

He said: "Since 2009, Shropshire Council has had to save £146 million due to significant government funding cuts. Like all councils, we're faced with the need to make further substantial savings in the coming years and by 2020/21 we estimate that we'll need to save a further £77 million."

Councillor Alan Mosley, leader of the council's Labour group, claimed the notices are evidence of the reduction in council services, adding: "It will soon be the case that Shropshire Council withdraws from everything that it does that does not have an actual statutory responsibility for and those service are reduced to the minimum."

The job losses are part of a package of cost-saving measures, which includes a review of its property portfolio with a view to selling assets off.

The most expensive is 1.89 acres of land at Ellesmere Wharf which is being advertised by the council at £950,000 as a "prime residential site".

Another large site is 0.59 hectares at 36 Stafford Street, Market Drayton, marketed for £750,000.

Other buildings include The Hollies, a 19th century house in the centre of Shrewsbury, and Conduit Farm Bridgnorth, which is advertised for £350,000.