THE axe has fallen on 11 staff at Ribble Valley Borough Council.

The 11 staff across all departments have received their redundancy notices as cash-strapped Ribble Valley Council struggles to make thousands of pounds worth of budget savings.

The first employees are expected to go in around five weeks with others working notice of up to 12 weeks.

Council leader Chris Holtom said: "Although it is no consolation to the 11 people who have to go, at least now it is helpful to everyone that the posts have been identified.

"I regret very much that we have had to have compulsory redundancies for the first time in our 22-year history."

Three jobs in both the community services and commercial services departments have been axed as well as two in the policy unit and two and half in the central services section.

Mr Eric Lucas, the council's personnel and administration manager said: "We are not saying yet which people are actually going although the staff themselves know."

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