LISTEN: Edinburgh Council Announces 2,000 Job Cuts To Save £141m
Edinburgh Council have announced that they need to make £141 million worth of cuts within the next four years, and 2,000 job cuts within two years.
The annoucement was made by the local authority today, after much speculation.
Earlier today UNISON had predicted that there would be 3,000 cuts made - but the local authority were quick to dispute that.
Proposals for the 4-year budget framework, are to address an overall shortfall of £126m. This is after an overspend of £10m in Health and Social Care, and £9.5m in property.
The main saving of money will be from the local authority's employees, which they say take up 60% of their costs. The council say 2,000 of staff need to be cut within two years.
Over the next month, all employees will be offered voluntary redundancy, with compulsory cuts making up the rest of the numbers.
It is believed the cuts will be managers and middle managers.
Edinburgh Council said "it is unrealistic to make the required savings without reducing the numbers currently employed".
The Finance Convenor of Edinburgh Council, Alasdair Ranken, says they would "prefer to take the pain internally" before "affecting public sectors".
Our reporter Hope Webb sat down with Alasdair Ranken to discuss the issue.
Listen to that interview here: