CONSULTATION with staff on a "significant restructure" of Cheshire West and Chester council will begin this week which could result in ten senior managers being made redundant.

The move comes as the authority strives to reduce spending, which it says has been made necessary after Government cuts left it facing a £6m budget shortfall.

The council's staffing committee has unanimously agreed to consultation after considering a report from chief executive Steve Robinson outlining proposals to save around £1m each year.

They recommend a major shake-up of the council’s present directorates and a reduction of heads of service from 24 to 14.

In his report, Mr Robinson said: “Local Government faces unprecedented challenges of rising demand and reducing resources.”

CWAC faces a £49m cut in central grant over the next three years and while plans have been put in place to cover the majority of that sum, the authority still faces a budget shortfall of £6m.

Around £1m resulting from the restructure will be used to help plug the gap and mitigate the impact of financial pressures on front-line services.

Council leader Mike Jones said: “While we have already made considerable headway in re-structuring our tiers of top management since 2009, there is still room for further efficiencies while continuing to protect our front-line services.

“Savings from this restructuring will go towards the £1.5m shortfall we face next year and the £4.29m funding gap which exists for 2016-17.”

Councillor Jones continued: "If all goes according to plan, the complete re-structuring of this authority will have enabled an annual saving of £180m in costs to the taxpayer in the first eight years of its life.”

Reorganisation of directorates will see the creation of two new strategic posts within the council’s leadership, and a third to supervise major projects, including Northgate, Barons Quay and the Cultural Centre.

Committee chairman Cllr Alan McKie said consultation on the proposed restructuring will begin by the end of this week and staff will have the chance to air their views on the suggested new structures.

He said: “Those views will be reported back to this committee and taken into account when a final decision on the proposals in taken in July.”

It is hoped the new structure will be finalised by November and appointments to the new heads of service posts will be phased in over the next year.