Over 100 Cornwall Council employees face redundancy in what a union describes as a “devastating blow” just before Christmas.
The announcement, part of a bid to save £48.6 million under the council’s draft 2025/26 revenue budget approved in November, has sparked criticism and concern from unions and affected staff.
The council’s decision is driven by the need to address financial shortfalls, with a formal 45-day consultation period for affected staff set to conclude by April 2025.
The council, Cornwall’s largest employer with a workforce of approximately 5,000, said it had made “every effort” to minimise redundancies but acknowledged that some jobs were inevitably at risk.
Deputy leader and head of finances David Harris highlighted the strain on resources from social care, children’s services, and housing the homeless, urging the government for fairer funding in these critical areas.
Public services union Unison placed the blame squarely on central government, accusing it of years of chronic underfunding that have forced councils into such difficult decisions.
Emily Gallagher, regional organiser for Unison South West, said, ” Announcing redundancies so close to Christmas is a devastating blow to Cornwall Council staff and their families.
“The root cause of these redundancies lies in the chronic underfunding of local government by central government.
The council has outlined steps to mitigate the impact, including restricting external recruitment and redeploying affected employees where possible. A spokesperson for Lys Kernow (County Hall) emphasized, ” Every effort has been made to minimise the impact on employees, but, sadly, this difficult process does mean a small percentage of jobs may be at risk within the organisation.
“Where possible, we are restricting external recruitment, and will look at redeploying staff in suitable roles before anyone has to leave the organisation through redundancy.”
In response, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government defended its support for local councils. A spokesperson stated, “Despite the difficult financial inheritance we have been given, we will get councils back on their feet, including Cornwall Council.
“We will fix the foundations of local government and [have] demonstrated this by announcing over £4b in funding at the Budget to help councils deliver key services.”
The government also pointed to reforms like multi-year funding settlements, ending competitive bidding funds, and improving the local audit system to provide stability for councils.
