Hundreds of jobs at risk as North Lanarkshire Council spending cut

CONCERNS have been raised over potential cuts at a council that could see the equivalent of 1,300 full-time jobs being axed.

North Lanarkshire Council is to launch a public consultation next month as it has to save £73.3 million over three years. It has set out a draft set of “savings options”, totalling £105.7m.

If they are all implemented, 1,387 full-time equivalent posts could go. It said the final number would be significantly less depending on the decisions councillors reach.

John Pentland, the Labour MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, said he was “very concerned”.

Council chief executive Gavin Whitefield said: “If approved by the policy and resources committee next week, the council will embark on a massive consultation exercise.”

Health secretary Alex Neil criticised the local authority’s leadership, saying the proposed cuts were a result of “financial mismanagement”.

Mr Neil accused the council of “butchering front-line services”.