REDUNDANCY and retirement packages at West Somerset Council look set to be trimmed back as part of the authority's ongoing bid to save money.

Currently, staff receive three times up to a maximum of 90 weeks' pay if they are made redundant, while retirees get up to two times up to 60 weeks' pay.

On Wednesday, cabinet members recommended cutbacks to both schemes, reducing the severance pay to two times a maximum of 60 weeks, and retirement to the equivalent of the statutory weeks pay up to a maximum of 30 weeks.

Council leader Cllr Tim Taylor said the cabinet made the recommendation to full council with "a heavy heart".

Cllr Kate Kravis, finance lead member said it was only fair the council shouldered some of the anticipated cuts in the coming years, rather than putting all the savings on services to residents.

But Janet Grieve, the council's Unison representative, warned that services would be affected anyway if staff lost their jobs.

"We have to support staff every way we can. With people going there will be pressure on the staff that are left and it will be a question of whether services can continue to the public," she said.

Councillors have already cleared the way for a number of staff redundancies in this financial year and are due to discuss various staffing options when the full council meets later this month.