Union leaders say that Kirklees Council is set to make 250 staff redundant – and no voluntary redundancy will be offered.

The council previously warned that up to 750 jobs could go as the local authority grappled with a £47 million budget shortfall.

But now the public service union UNISON says it has been told there will be 250 redundancies, scheduled for between October this year and March 2024.

UNISON has urged the council to “think again” about its plans which they say is causing “alarm” among staff and which will “deprive the community of vital services.”

The union says the council has no agreed redundancy policy in place and has failed to provide clarity on the roles affected.

Services such as social work, social care, housing and immigration advice, mental health support and waste collection are among those likely to be hit, UNISON believes.

UNISON has also been informed by the council that it cannot afford to offer voluntary redundancy to employees due to the cost.

Kirklees Council announces up to 750 redundancies as scale of financial crisis is laid bare

UNISON Yorkshire and Humberside regional manager Leonie Sharp said: “Job losses mean the loss of vital local services for the community, it’s as simple as that.

“After 13 years of underfunding, local authorities have no meat on the bone left to cut. We can’t see any way cuts at the council can be made without dire consequences.

“Services can’t take any more cuts – and putting workers through this anxiety during a cost-of-living crisis is just cruel.

“UNISON will do all it can to protect these jobs and services. There are other ways for the council to manage financial pressures, and it must find ways to do so that don’t put people’s livelihoods at risk.”

UNISON Kirklees branch secretary Mick Donoghue said: “Local services have been cut to the bone and staff are at breaking point.

“Now’s the time for the Government and Kirklees Council to invest in the workforce – not sack hundreds more workers.

“If these redundancies go ahead, the future of vital services the people of Kirklees rely on will be in doubt. Workers are saying enough’s enough.”