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Oldham MBC leaders have warned they may slash up to 850 jobs as part of a £17.5m package of cuts to balance next year's budget. Councillors and senior managers met trade union representatives of its 5,000 employees at the same time as they began the formal consultation process setting out the reasons for potential job losses and negotiations to minimise the number of compulsory redundancies. Local schools will not directly affected by the budget cuts, but the council is examining proposals to close some offices and look for further efficiency savings. Council leader, Howard Sykes, said: ‘The key word here is potential, and that is precisely what it is at this early stage of the budget-planning process. The fact is that the council has to find £17.3m of savings to balance next year's budget. ‘Staffing costs, like those of a lot of other councils up and down the country, are a big part of our overall budget, so it is inevitable that we should explore the potential for savings in this area. ‘They are part of a package of options where we are also looking to reduce the amount of accommodation. ‘We are also looking to find other major efficiency savings to bridge the gap. ‘The proposed savings are critical in our efforts to provide residents with the value-for-money services they quite rightly expect. They will enable us to go forward with the important regeneration and renewal work of our borough.' Cabinet member for finance and resources, Cllr Lynne Thompson, promised: ‘Everything possible will be done to minimise the need for compulsory redundancies. We will be looking at voluntary options, redeployment, retraining and other measures to ease this impact. Staff are being kept informed of the council's proposals, including the advice support they can access.'

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WHITEHALL

Oldham warns of £17.5m cuts to balance budget

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