Liberal Democrat councillors claim Luton’s Labour Council is cutting too many front line jobs and not enough at the top end. “Two years running they’ve cut the numbers of street cleaners, cut the Youth Service, are privatising care for the elderly,” says Liberal Democrat leader, David Franks.

“Yet when it comes to Corporate Director level, people paid around the £100,000 mark, they decided to cut the numbers from six to five. We suggested they could easily go one further and cut down to four Corporate Directors and they refused.”

“It sends exactly the wrong signal to lower paid staff who have lost their jobs or are in danger of doing so.”

“There’s no logic in what they are doing. There is no sense in keeping separate Corporate Directors for adult social care and children’s social care. There is already a ‘gap’ when vulnerable children become vulnerable adults, the department responsible for their care switches overnight. In fact of course people’s needs do not change overnight, needs evolve and there would be a much better chance of continuity if the two departments were merged.”

“The Liberal Democrat amended structure was rejected by the Labour majority on the Council so they will continue to employ five Corporate Directors and continue to sack the people who local residents can actually see doing the job.”