Roads staff shocked by job losses

UNIONS are seething after learning of significant county council job cuts from the Chronicle.

Our reporters discovered the plan to axe staff in the highways department in a document published by finance chief Cllr David Finch, but staff say they knew nothing of the "significant headcount reduction".

Unison, the main county staff union, said it was "shocked and stunned" by the news.

Its reps say they met the council's "transformation team" last week and were told nothing.

Unison regional organiser Niall Devlin said the information published last Monday had "not even been hinted at last week".

Ironically, in the same document, the council revealed it is spending £768,000 on "developing our employees and effectively communicating with them".

The document suggests that at least £19 million can be saved between now and 2013 in a second round of efficiencies, part of a £300 million programme for which IBM are advisers.

It talks of a "transportation delivery model" that after 2012 will "result in significant headcount reduction, streamlined business processes and will fundamentally change the way ECC delivers highways services".

Highways chief Cllr Norman Hume said: "The highways service is delivered through several different contracts. We have started to look at a new approach to move to a single integrated service provider.

"Existing ECC staff and the integrated service provider will work together to remove duplication and improve business efficiency. The new contract arrangements will begin in April 2012."