Staff morale at Tendring Council will sink to an all-time low if vacancies are not filled in a bid to save cash.

That's the fear of the opposition group, which made an unsuccessful last-ditch plea for such a move to be avoided at all costs.

Tendring Council is facing a financial crisis next year if cuts of around £2million are not found and predictions are that it will get worse the following year.

The administration has drawn up a strategy to try to combat the situation.

And it includes reviewing manpower vacancies in discretionary areas where the council is not compelled to provide the service.

But Les Double (Lab, Harwich) said it would be a big mistake to go down that line.

"This authority is already stretched to the very limits and we are now going to review vacancies," he said.

"It spells a terrible time for Tendring Council when there is already a situation of very low morale. In fact, it has never been so low but it will get worse if we take this route to save money."

But Pierre Oxley (Con, Southcliff) said the council had to consider all options if it was to balance the books.

"Any council must review its vacancies and manpower in such a situation it would be wrong not to," he said.

Published Wednesday August 14, 2002

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