COUNCIL engineering workers in Pendle have been warned their jobs are at risk - and many more town hall staff are set to receive similar notices, according to opposition leaders.

An outcry has greeted the revelation that the employees, in the engineering and special projects section, have been given the letters.

Council bosses insist they are under a legal obligation to warn affected staff at the earliest opportunity and the move does not automatic mean the staff are facing redundancy.

But Liberal Democrat councillors say the move, before a special budget working group has even met, is ‘appalling’ and ‘premature’.

Coun Tony Greaves said: “There is considerable surprise that these notices have been issued to eight people in the engineering and special projects.

“And it is expected that at least one other department will get such notices in the next few days.

"This seems to pre-empt the question of the restructuring of the council and is premature and unnecessary.”

Coun Anne Kerrigan said: “I think that to issue notices that their jobs are at risk, when restructuring has not even started, is really thoughtless.”

Councillors were discussing plans to recreate a cross-party committee to examine ways of saving £3.5million over the next three years, which will affect jobs.

More than 400 people work for the council and unions are warning that dozens of jobs vould be lost because of the cutbacks.

Chief executive Stephen Barnes said external funding was being cut for some position within the engineering section.

“We have a legal obligation to consult employees that are affected.

"They have been given notices to that effect,” said Mr Barnes.

He denied that they equated to redundancy notices and said no formal decisions had yet been made.