Jobs are set to be lost at Castle Point Council as part of tough budget cuts, it was revealed today.

Tory council leaders confirmed staff are to be made redundant but refused to say how many.

The news was revealed by councillors at a presentation on their budget for Castle Point Council next year.

Jeffrey Stanley, chairman of Castle Point Council's policy and resources committee, said: "The reductions in spending are largely to do with staff that the heads of departments do not feel they need.

"Those savings are what we are using in a large part to pay for the increase in services."

Leader of the Castle Point Independent Party, Dave Blackwell, believes it is wrong to cut staff and invest in services with the proceeds.