CORNWALL Council’s announcement that over 100 employees will lose their jobs so close to Christmas is a “devastating blow,” their union Unison said.

The council said that the job losses were a part of its bid to save £48.6 million under its draft budget for 2025-26, approved by the local authority’s Conservative cabinet in November.

It is battling against bankruptcy like that faced by other authorities including Birmingham, and said that a 45-day formal consultation will be launched.

Unison blamed the central government for its chronic underfunding of local authorities.

The union’s south-west regional organiser Emily Gallagher said: “Announcing redundancies so close to Christmas is a devastating blow to Cornwall Council staff and their families.

“The festive period should be a time of celebration and security, but instead many are now facing deep uncertainty about their futures.

“The root cause of these redundancies lies in the chronic underfunding of local government by central government.

“It’s unacceptable that dedicated public service workers, who keep our communities running, are left to pay the price for a funding shortfall they did not create.”

Ms Gallagher said that the union will “stand firmly by our members throughout this process.”

“We are committed to working with Cornwall Council to prioritise voluntary measures over compulsory redundancies and to minimise the impact on staff wherever possible,” she said.

“Protecting jobs and safeguarding the vital services that the people of Cornwall depend on will remain our top priority.”

A council spokesperson said that the council faces financial challenges like other local authorities across the country, and is making choices that are in “no way desirable.”