AROUND 420 jobs are set to be cut at Swindon Borough Council over the next 30 months.

The decision will see the overall workforce slashed by 15 per cent with the first job losses expected to be seen in the new year.

It comes as the council faces the challenge of saving £30m by 2020 against a backdrop of reduced government funding, increased staffing costs after the introduction of the national living wage, and an increased demand for statutory services such as adult social care.

While the exact number of job cuts is not known, it is believed that the greatest impact will be seen by staff whose roles can most easily be replaced by an increased reliance on technology and digitalisation.

Russell Holland, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for finance, said: “In common with local authorities across the country we all need to look at how we can save money.

“We have a reduction in central government funding, an increase in normal inflationary pressures and most importantly the increase in demographic pressures arising out of the need to provide social care and to look after vulnerable children.”

The job reductions are part of a four-strand programme being billed as ‘the Swindon programme’.

Organisational excellence – the strand in which restructuring falls – is looking at how the council can reform in order to provide services with greater financial efficiency.

Demand management, the second strand, will look at ways to promote people living independently for longer. Adult social care staff will be challenged to look at preventative care and early interventions rather than a reactive approach.

The third and fourth strands will look at the way the council commissions and procures services as well as commercialisation – the way council assets can be used to generate income.

“The goal is to get to 2020 providing the best possible service we can, continuing to assist those most in need in the town whilst continuing to grow the economy,” said Coun Holland.

“We very much see redundancies as a last resort, and where it is necessary we’ll be following a full consultation process and working with the relevant union.

“We’ll be looking at ways to avoid that but inevitably, looking at the scale of the funding challenge we’re facing, some reduction in the staff workforce will be inevitable.

“It won’t happen at once, it will be done in a manner that makes the process as easy as we can for staff while also preserving the services as best we can for the public.

“I believe this is the best possible response to the times we’re in.”

Council staff are understood to be aware of the proposal to cut a number of roles. More detailed discussions on redundancies will get underway in the new year.