STAFF numbers will be cut and senior management restructured “as soon as possible” at a council if proposals to save more than �800,000 on staffing costs are approved tomorrow (Thursday).

North Herts District Council (NHDC) needs to save �823,000 on its staffing budget, �563,000 of which is to come from general staffing and lower level structural changes and �260,000 from senior staffing arrangements.

The proposals have already been agreed by Cabinet in February and are expected to be supported by the full council.

The changes include the axing of two head of service posts, producing a total saving of �150,000.

Two senior management roles and several other council jobs are also expected to go. There are currently 331 full-time equivalent posts occupied at the council.

Some services will be amended too, with several departments reporting to different people as a result of the cuts to the senior positions.

“If approved, the changes set out in the report will be implemented as soon as possible in order to reduce the council’s expenditure in line with the budget requirements,” said chief executive of NHDC, John Campbell.

“Staff affected will be subject to the council’s reorganisation policy in relation to their individual circumstances.”

Some of the savings will be achieved by not filling already vacant posts. Those who will directly be affected have already been informed by the council.

The changes are part of wider measures across the board to fill a 16.2 per cent deficit in government funding.

Some �150,000 has been put aside by the council to cover any redundancy costs that arise from the cuts.