Hundreds more jobs to be axed at Rotherham Council

The council confirmed that 130 members of staff have already taken voluntary redundancy, but it is understood the authority must axe at least the same amount of staff again.

Coun Saghir Alam, cabinet member for corporate services and budgeting, said that ‘difficult decisions’ must be taken so the council can ‘make the savings we need to’.

Coun Chris Read, leader of the council, said: “Like councils across the country, Rotherham faces another big budget challenge as a consequence of the government’s reductions in grants.

“But we are determined to meet our commitment to improve the services we provide to keep our children safe and protected. There are no easy answers, and whilst we want to minimise the impact on the public, clearly this is not always going to be possible.

“In looking at where we spend our money, we have been very clear about our priorities – we remain committed to using our resources to protect our most vulnerable children and adults, and to shield frontline services wherever possible.

“The proposals have already been made public as part of the Council’s Scrutiny process – mostly through the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board – and residents, partners and staff are now being formally invited to make any further comments they may have.”

People are now being asked for their views on how the council could make the savings. To comment, email [email protected]. The deadline is 5pm on Friday, February 12.