A NEAR-total recruitment freeze has been implemented at Worcester City Council in a desperate bid to keep on budget.

Top officers admit the policy of leaving vacant posts open is likely to have a negative impact on front-line services across the city, but say they have no other choice due to the ever-tightening financial constraints the council is under.

The policy — which has been in place for almost a year and involves only filling a post when it is deemed absolutely essential — is on course to save about £1 million in salaries this year.

Head of finance Grahame Lucas told a meeting of the performance management committee: “Overspends (other than the problem with concessionary travel) are largely being offset by a significant underspend on staff and salaries, as a result of freezing vacancies and recruitment — or at least being very restrictive on it — to try to stay within budget this year.”

The council’s latest financial report says posts are being kept vacant right across the council, in areas including the Hub customer service centre, rubbish collection and street cleaning, environmental health, business support and transportation. Mr Lucas said this would inevitably threaten the quality of services available to the Worcester public.

“Obviously that has a major impact because productivity and ability to deliver are put at risk as a result of that policy,” he said.

The council is trying to make about £3 million in savings over the next five years, without cutting any major front-line services, following a real-terms cut in its Government funding.