AT least 270 council jobs are set to be axed next year as cuts continue to bite.

While Worcestershire County Council is proposing to freeze its share of the council tax bill swingeing cuts will continue across all departments impacting on hundreds of jobs.

Almost £30 million has already been slashed from the budget this year alone and by April about 212 full-time equivalent posts will have evaporated.

But a further £21 million reduction is planned next year as a drive to cut up to £70 million, possibly more, over the next four years continues as a result of reduced government funding.

That will result in more than 272 full-time equivalent jobs going next year.

Workers who manage to hold onto their jobs will also have to put up with another pay freeze.

Adrian Gregson, Unison Worcestershire branch secretary, said any compulsory redundancies would be resisted.

“They impact directly on services and the people are doing jobs that are required, so there are concerns the level of services will fall and it increases the number of people unemployed.

“The county council, and most councils, are not at the stage where they are stripping out people who are sitting there doing nothing. They all have a role to play.

“If the government wants to get us out of the recession they should be investing in local and public services rather than slashing jobs. If you continue to grind down the public sector the private sector suffers directly as a result.”

There are some areas where the council is putting more money in, though.

An extra £3 million is proposed to help meet the ever-increasing cost of adult social care, while £1.5 million will go towards mitigating the increases costs associated with placements for children in care.

A £2 million pot will also be used to help boost the local economy but details on that will not be unveiled until next year.

Meanwhile, the council now has to budget £1.1 million for the annual cost of the Hive library and history centre which is due to open in Worcester in the spring.

Councillor Adrian Hardman, leader, said feedback from recent road shows gave an overwhelming indication residents wanted a council tax freeze.

The freeze will mean the council will get £5.5 million from government but there are fears keeping the tax at this level for the second year running could lead to added financial pressures in the future.

At a meeting of cabinet Coun Hardman, a Conservative, said: "I do think it would be foolish, at this time, for the council to turn down to the benefit of Worcestershire taxpayers £5.5 million from government which is recycled taxation they have already paid."

The council has about £131.5 million in reserve but about £114.4 of that has already been earmarked.

The proposed budget is now out to consultation before councillors make a final decision in February.