WORKERS who help disabled adults at day centres across Worcestershire are set to lose their jobs due to council cuts, a union claims.

Unison said 41 full-time roles have been axed at ‘resource’ and ‘connect’ centres across the county, including in Worcester.

The union said the county council plans to replace these employees with lower paid support workers and 22 senior members of staff, as part of an attempt to save £511,000 in the forthcoming year.

It warned that the changes will damage the popular service and likely restrict the types of activities that the centres can offer.

Peter Fennell, a case worker for Unison, said: “The immediate consequences of the decision... are the displacement and ultimately the dismissal of numbers of committed and experienced council employees, many of whom have given a significant amount of their working lives in providing support for people with learning disabilities.

“In the view of Unison it will diminish what has always been regarded by service users and their carers as a high quality and highly valued service.

“I think some of the activities might not take place in the future.”

The job losses were announced in December and the new service is due to start on April 1.

Mr Fennell said connect centre community access workers and resource centre officers have lost their jobs.

The council said the community access worker will continue but could not confirm the number of job losses.

A spokesman said: “We have worked hard to ensure all people who are currently receiving services from this group, will continue to do so.

All posts that will be lost within the restructure will be replaced with a different role. We are working closely with individual staff to try and find them alternative roles.”

The council said there was a consultation on the changes.