Up to 800 posts will be lost with the creation of the unitary council in Northumberland, officials have said. The council said it expected to redeploy about 300 people, and attract a further 400 applications for voluntary redundancy packages, when the county and six existing district councils are merged in April. Consultations with union officials are to take place, with the council predicting 100 compulsory job losses. Council leader Jeff Reid added: ‘The council is facing external economic pressures, unique to Northumberland, such as flood recovery and the Icelandic banking collapse.'