Thousands of council jobs in England are at risk as local government restructuring moves forward, Unison, the country’s largest trade union, has warned.
With councils required to submit their final proposals for mergers and reorganisation by the end of the week, Unison’s General Secretary Christina McAnea has raised concerns that the shake-up could lead to mass redundancies and reduced public services.
McAnea cautioned that these changes “cannot be used as a convenient cover for job cuts”, emphasizing that it would be “a travesty if crucial public services are shut down, outsourced, or sold off.”
Public Sector Job Cuts Continue to Mount
The local government overhaul comes as more than 10,000 civil service jobs and around 9,500 NHS positions are already at risk. Amid an increasingly difficult economic outlook, concerns are mounting that councils will face further budget cuts as the Treasury seeks additional savings.
The plan involves merging county and district councils into unitary authorities across six regions, which will result in the abolition of many lower-tier councils. The restructuring has sparked controversy, as some local elections may be deferred while the transition takes place.
Several councils have already approved major changes. Surrey Council has agreed to split into two unitary authorities, eliminating 11 borough and district councils. The UK government aims to transition most of England to a unitary council model, which will oversee social care, housing, waste collection, and urban planning.
Unions Demand Job Protections and Pay Security
Unison is urging the government to guarantee no compulsory redundancies and to protect wages, pensions, and employee benefits such as sick pay and leave when staff are transferred to the new authorities.
McAnea also stressed the importance of maintaining national pay negotiations, which currently allow unions to negotiate salaries centrally.
“Local authorities are under severe financial strain following years of austerity. But communities mustn’t lose the expertise that ensures authorities can support their residents,” she said.
Local Government Facing Financial Uncertainty
The Treasury’s planned spending cuts pose additional challenges for local councils. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), unprotected government departments—such as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government—could see their budgets reduced by 1.9% per year, amounting to a 7% reduction over the next four years.
The Local Government Association (LGA) has warned that councils face a £20 billion funding gap over the four-year spending review period.
Unison has expressed fears that thousands of workers could lose their jobs in district councils, with those who are transferred potentially facing lower wages and weaker employment protections.
McAnea Calls for Long-Term Funding and Fair Pay
McAnea has called on ministers to provide councils with a stable, multi-year funding settlement that will ensure essential public services remain intact.
“Councils are long overdue a multi-year funding settlement that stabilises local services, ensures residents can access the support they deserve, and protects staff,” she said.
“A fair pay deal, including for care workers, must be part of the solution.”
As the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) prepares to deliver its latest economic forecasts, local government employees remain in limbo, uncertain about how the restructuring will affect their jobs and livelihoods.
