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Hundreds of job cuts have been announced at councils across the country as the credit crunch deepens. Up to 400 jobs are to go at Peterborough City Council – 180 this year and the rest in 2009. Most of the cuts would be in administration and back-office jobs, said a council spokesman. Council leader, John Peach, said: ‘Making these sorts of efficiencies is never easy and like all businesses, we need to reduce our workforce, particularly in our back-office areas.' Oxford City Council was also set to cut jobs to try to fill a £5.75m hole in its finances, according to the council leader Bob Price. He said: ‘We are facing some unpleasant decisions and some fairly radical assessments across the whole of the council. There will be a number of redundancies.' Up to 190 jobs could be cut as Coventry City Council tries to make up a budget shortfall of £13m. Price rises, including energy costs, and a drop in capital receipts, the income the council gets from selling land and assets, are being blamed for the shortfall. Deputy leader, Kevin Foster, said: ‘We want to make the changes we need with the smallest-possible impact on Coventry families and, at the same time, make sure the city is ready to take advantage of the upturn when it comes.' And up to 50 jobs are likely to go at Swindon BC, after the council said it was struggling with increasing demand for services. The authority has been in talks with union leaders. A council spokesperson said: ‘The council will do whatever it can to find alternative work for people where it exists, but it is anticipated that around 50 people are likely to be made redundant.'

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WHITEHALL

Hundreds of council job cuts as recession deepens

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