A CULL of public sector managers at Blackburn with Darwen council has been revealed in an attempt to make £2million budget cuts.

The council is to become the first borough in the country to merge senior managers of its cash-strapped council and local health body.

The Lancashire Telegraph understands the move would mean around 30 staff - from middle managers to chief executive level - would lose their jobs.

And there would be just one chief executive role.

The council’s Graham Burgess and Judith Griffin, of the Care Trust Plus, which manages the borough’s healthcare, would have to battle it out for a single role.

It comes after the council revealed widespread cuts, including closing Shadsworth Leisure Centre and pulling funding from community centres.

Unions said the string of announcements had been a 'rollercoaster' for staff and said they expected 'swathes' of job losses.

Sir Bill Taylor, who chairs the Care Trust Plus board, said: “We all want more money spending on actual services and less on administration.”

And council leader Mike Lee insisted: “This is about far more than just making savings”.

Earlier this year, the Care Trust Plus was created by merging the commissioning staff - in charge of buying in healthcare - of the borough council and Primary Care Trust.

Unison rep Mike Booth said he was concerned.

He added: “The council is a big organisation, but it’s always realigning and redesigning itself.

"How far can it go? We are concerned about the impact on staff and residents.”

Town halls across the country are being forced into swingeing cuts from 2011 after Chancellor George Osborne demanded 25per cent savings from every government department.

Although the NHS has been protected from cuts, the trust in Blackburn with Darwen - which is in charge of managing and buying in healthcare - has separately been told to save 36per cent of its management and back office costs.

On Thursday night the ruling executive board will be asked to agree the move.

If it is given the green light, a special panel will be set up to interview Mr Burgess and Ms Griffin for the position at the top of the new 'single integrated management team'.