Lancashire County Council has unveiled plans to slash 2,500 posts by 2016 under cost saving measures.

County hall chiefs are hoping to make the cuts through voluntary redundancies in its ‘non-schools’ workforce of 13,000 people. They will discuss the proposals at a cabinet meeting on Friday, January 24 as part of plans to save £300 million in four years.

Council leader Jennifer Mein said the move reflected the ‘harsh reality’ of government cuts.

She said: “The council simply cannot make these savings without significant reductions both in the services it provides to local communities and in the number of people it employs to deliver those services.

“These are decisions we would rather not have to make, but I am determined

to lead the council through this period in a way that makes the changes as fair as possible to the public and employees alike.” The county council employs around 34,500 people but most are school workers and the schools budget has been ring-fenced and will not be reduced.

Council chiefs said their priority would be to protect vulnerable people and promote economic growth.