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Wolverhampton Council staff face working conditions changes in bid to save £2.4m

Council workers could face further changes to their terms and conditions as part of a plan to shave £2.4 million off the pay bill.

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Wolverhampton Council said it would need to make a "terms and conditions offer that is affordable and sustainable" in a bid to balance the books.

Details have yet to be revealed but it comes after changes made earlier this year mean staff will be made to take unpaid leave over Christmas.

City council bosses have said they are facing the biggest financial crisis in its history.

Up to 500 jobs could be at risk at the authority as part of a continued restructure.

Officials are set to enter talks with unions over the plans, which would hit workers from the next financial year.

A new report said: "In order to address the deficit and the challenge faced by the council to enable a terms and conditions offer that is affordable and sustainable the council need to reduce the pay bill by approximately £1.2 million in both 2020-2021 and 2021-2022.

"Discussions with trade unions to review the package of terms and conditions will commence over the coming months."

Changes backed earlier this year to save £2m mean employees will be required to take a mandatory three days unpaid annual leave between Christmas and New Year.

The council's payroll costs for 2019/20 are expected to be around £150m.

It was revealed last week that up to 500 jobs could be at risk at Wolverhampton Council as it looks to make savings of £27.3 million for 2020/2021.

But bosses at the council say they do not expect the final figure to be that high.

Councillors approved a draft budget at a recent meeting on Wednesday with proposed “efficiencies” leading to the jobs being cut.

A report added: “Compulsory redundancies will be mitigated as far as is possible through seeking voluntary redundancies in the first instance, and through access to redeployment."