Leeds City Council poised to shed 300 jobs

About 1,200 posts have been cut at the council since 2004

Leeds City Council is to axe about 300 jobs in the coming year in a bid to cut costs in a tough economic climate.

The figure was revealed in council leader Richard Brett's budget-setting speech to the council on Wednesday.

Mr Brett said the job cuts, which come on top of 1,200 over the past six years, would "not affect frontline delivery of services".

The local authority also proposes to increase council tax by 2.5% - the lowest increase for 15 years.

Mr Brett said the council had decided on the "modest" increase because "many Leeds residents have been struggling with their finances during 2009".

'Stretched resources'

He said the council was also having to cope with "the lowest grant settlement figure ever" from central government.

"Resources are so tight in the current climate that simply keeping our frontline services going is itself a major challenge," Mr Brett told the council.

"That is what we have tried to do - maintain frontline services to the people of Leeds. We have succeeded in that aim.

"But because of our stretched resources there are few surprises in this budget, no rabbits being pulled out of hats and relatively few startling headlines. I make no apology for that.

"At one stage I thought we might have to make headlines for the wrong reasons by closing some buildings or stopping services.

"We have not had to do that because there have been a whole series of creative, inventive and wide ranging efficiencies."

Despite the overall job reductions, the council has set aside extra cash to recruit more staff in its children's services department which was criticised in an Ofsted report last August.