MORE than 20 labour-ing jobs are to be made redundant by Blackbu-rn with Darwen Council.

Staff in the building services section of the Environment Department were issued with redund-ancy notices this week.

Council bosses said they hoped some of the staff would transfer to other jobs within the council and they would assist the rest in applying for other jobs elsewhere. Staff remaining after the job cuts will be used to maintain council properties.

The move affects 22 people, about half of the section, and will see mainly manual posts, dedicated to building work, being axed although a number of back office jobs will also go.

Council bosses said the move had been prompted by increased competition from the private sector for work and the closing of its trading account, which tendered for outside contracts.

It is understood the loss of a contract with Twin Valley Homes in the summer contributed to the move.

The announcement has angered staff who questio-ned the sensitivity of the announcement's timing.

A member of staff, who asked not be named, said: "This is hardly the news we wanted, just one week before Christmas."

Peter Hunt, director of the environment department, said: "The council no longer operates a trading account for its building services where it would tender for work from other organisations. This means we have had to review our staff."