Services are being reorganised after the Climbie tragedy

Education and social services for children are to be merged as required by the Children's Act, chief executive Judith Armitt said.

"It is bringing services for children together after the death of Victoria Climbie and we will bring children's health services into that as well."

She said the authority was trying to avoid compulsory redundancies.

Service levels 'maintained'

She said the posts to be cut were "all about the budget available for management".

Ms Armitt said: "The management structure of Medway Council is lean and tight - but this structure should enable all services to be maintained at their current level.

"When we reorganise, it gives us the chance to look at ways we can bring jobs together in a different way."

She said the full reorganisation would not be completed until 1 January 2006, but that some changes would be taking place in the summer.

"We are trying to avoid compulsory redundancy," she said.

"A couple of the posts are vacant already. We can't say there won't be compulsory redundancies, but we will do our best to avoid them."

Victoria Climbie was murdered by her great-aunt Marie Therese Kouao and partner Carl Manning in Tottenham. Both are in prison serving life sentences.