Budget cuts announced by council

A West Yorkshire council has announced plans to make budget savings of £250m over the next five years.

Kirklees Council said its cost-cutting measures would have a "significant impact" on jobs.

The authority, which employs about 19,000 staff, currently has an annual budget of about £1bn.

A council spokesman said the recession combined with a drop in income and an expected fall in government grants had led to the decision.

'Difficult test'

Kirklees Council chief executive Rob Vincent said: "This is about rising to a difficult challenge.

"We need to redesign services, work differently with partners and make changes to our management and staffing structure whilst ensuring frontline services won't suffer as a result.

"We have already delivered efficiency savings of £139m over the last five years, but local government is facing its most difficult test for at least a generation."

Director of human resources Cliff Stewart said: "All our employees are involved in the programme and we fully recognise that these changes are going to be a worrying time for employees and their families."

Further details of the council's Innovation and Efficiency programme are expected to be published in about three months.