MORE than 10,000 public sector jobs in the region have been axed or are at risk because of the Government spending cuts, union leaders said last night.

The GMB union said 9,214 North-East posts, along with 940 in North Yorkshire, were under threat – part of 150,059 jobs at risk across 260 public bodies in England, Scotland and Wales.

Paul Kenny, GMB general secretary, accused the coalition Government of deliberately creating unemployment on a scale never seen before.

“The impact for those who depend on these services will be devastating,” he said.

However, Conservative Local Government Minister Grant Shapps accused the union of confusing job cuts with a reduction in posts, and said councils could still protect frontline services.

Durham County Council is facing cuts of £125m, while Darlington Borough Council’s budget will fall by £22m.

In addition to the GMB’s figures, North Yorkshire County Council has warned 900 staff their jobs could be changed as part of a major restructuring.

Neil Derrick, for the GMB in Yorkshire, said: “Things are bad and getting worse. What the Government is doing is unnecessary, ill-judged and ill-thought through. Our members are unsure of the future, many are facing redundancy and they’re very angry.”

Paul Watson, Labour leader of Sunderland City Council and chairman of the Association of North-East Councils, said the spending cuts could escalate into something, very serious for local authorities, would lead to job losses and affect other local businesses.

He said percentage budget cuts were disproportionately harming efficient councils.

Councils are striving as hard as possible to affect as little as possible the frontline services, but if we maintain a level of quality, we need to realise the services will look different and be delivered in different ways,” he added.

But Mr Shapps said: “It is disappointing that unions are confusing job cuts with a reduction in posts in local government, which can be significantly delivered through natural wastage, mutualisation and early retirement.

“If councils cut out excessive chief executive salaries, share back office services, join forces to procure and wipe out non-jobs, they can protect frontline services.”

JOBS UNDER THREAT

Council ............... Jobs at risk

Newcastle City Council........ 2,000

Durham County Council..........1,600

South Tyneside Council........ 1,200

Northumberland County Council........................1,000

Gateshead Council............... 600

Northumbria Police Authority.... 450

Middlesbrough Council........... 450

Darlington Borough Council...... 360

Stockton Borough Council........ 350

North Tyneside Council.......... 300

Redcar and Cleveland ............300

Borough Council Cleveland Combined

Fire Authority...................180

Tyne and Wear Fire Authority........................170

Hartlepool Borough Council...... 150

Durham Police Authority.......... 86

Northumberland National Park Authority....................18

North-East total 9,214

North Yorkshire Police Authority 210

City of York Council 600

North Yorkshire Combined Fire Authority 130

North Yorkshire total 940

North-East and North Yorkshire total 10,154