Union issues warning on council jobs and services after local government reorganisation paused

GMB London Region, which represents council workers in the East of England, has raised concerns that the pause to local government reorganisation could put jobs and services at risk.

The union has raised questions around millions of pounds allocated for the reorganisation, and the money already spent on consultations and re-organisational decisions.

GMB is warning that if these costs are absorbed by councils, redundancies and service cuts could follow.

Lisa Bangs, GMB Senior Organiser said, 

"Budgetary decisions have been made on the basis that councils will be merging.

"Consultants, consultations and re-organisational decisions have run-up costs running into the multi-millions with little to show for it.

"The key concern for us and our members now is where the cost for this rests, especially if reorganisation plans are reversed.

"If it is with councils we will face redundancies, and hard-working council workers and residents will be the ones to pay the price."