JOBS will be axed at the council if staff turn down voluntary redundancies, refuse to go part-time, or job share, it was announced.

Council bosses plan to save around £800,000 through cuts to the back office, but said front line services will be protected and council tax will not go up.

“A major reduction in back office costs, with policy and corporate governance contributing almost two-thirds of the savings the council has to achieve to balance its budget next year,” a council report said.

Hyndburn Council needs to slash its spending by around £1.35m to meet its budget, and leader Miles Parkinson warned it will get even worse next year.

He said: “We are shrinking the council. In 2010, we had around 400 jobs. We now have around 290.

“We haven’t made compulsory redundancies - we have been working with staff to make voluntary redundancies, to job share, or to go part-time.”

The council plans to save money by cutting its spend on salaries in its parks and open spaces, waste, environmental health, policy and corporate governance, accountancy and admin, audit and investigations, and benefits and customer services departments, budget documents revealed.

Coun Parkinson said: “If we can’t shrink the council, we will have to look at compulsory redundancies, but that would be unfortunate and is not something we want to do.

“Next year will be even more difficult.”

Although the council has confirmed it will freeze council tax bills, Hyndburn residents could still face an increase.

The county council, police and crime commissioner, and fire service are all considering tax increase, which Hyndburn Council believes will equate to around two per cent.

Leader of the opposition at Hyndburn Council, Peter Britcliffe, said: “What the council is doing is letting people go, and then paying agency staff to come in and do some of the work that is needed.

“If they were not doing that, they would be in a very strong position.”