MORE than 300 managers at Notts County Council have today been told their jobs are at risk.

The council is set to axe a quarter of its 800 staff who have managerial roles over the next three years.

In the first round, all 378 managers who make up the middle and senior tiers have entered into a 90-day consultation over the future of their jobs. A quarter of these posts are expected to be deleted.

The council expects to cut posts at each of its managerial levels, which include its four corporate directors, 22 service directors and 340 heads of service and service managers.

Issuing redundancy notices is the start of the process of deciding which posts will go and which will stay.

Chief executive Mick Burrows said: "We face an unprecedented financial challenge. We have promised to make our services more efficient and reduce bureaucracy in the council. Removing some tiers of management will bring our services closer to our service users and save the council money.

"We appreciate this is a difficult time for some of our people. Some of our employees who have been placed at risk will take voluntary redundancy or find alternative employment, but some compulsory redundancies will be unavoidable."

He added he had been impressed by the dedication and commitment of staff as the authority faced tough times.

The move is the first wave of plans to cut 2,500 posts over the next three years.

The council needs to save £150m in that time, starting with £69m next year.

It also signals the start of the council's restructuring programme which it believes will make it more efficient and deliver better value for money.

It aims to reduce the duplication of roles and activities and cut management layers to a maximum of five between the public and the chief executive.

Instead of the council's current four service departments there would be three.

Departments such as human resources and communications would be centralised instead of each service area having its own workers.

Mr Burrows said the authority would emerge with a stronger presence and idea of purpose.

He said: "The improvement programme is central to this. It is a one council, one business approach."

And all managers will have between four and eight people reporting to them.

Redundancy packages will not be enhanced but the council has budgeted for an average of £22,000 per redundancy.

Axed staff aged over 55 will be able to draw their local government pension.

Mr Burrows added the council would be one of the most streamlined in the country once the work was complete.

"It will be customer focused. The public will hopefully be less confused about who's doing what.

"We need to save money, but at the same time not lose focus on what is important to the people of Notts, he said.

The changes are set to be in place by April 2011.