SOME 40 borough council jobs look set to be axed in Sandbach as council leaders look to protect future services.

The proposed losses are part of a wide scale review of services and have now been put before unions and staff for a 30-day consultation period.

Councillors said the losses have been made necessary because of the impact of increased pension contributions.

The main proposals also include reduced financial support for some external agencies, along with alterations to service provision, involving transfers of some services and up to 120 staff to other agencies.

Chief executive Glyn Chambers said: "These are initial proposals to enable us to create a sustainable budget for the future and ensure best value for money for the tax payers.

"We are now discussing them with unions and staff and explaining why we are considering this action.

"During this time we will welcome alternative suggestions from staff about different ways of doing things.

"These are just outline proposals and we are keeping staff and residents informed."

The proposals include working with schools to develop direct school management of leisure centres and sharing the payroll function with Macclesfield Borough Council to improve efficiency.

Council leader Roland Domleo said: "The financial situation has resulted, in part, from the significant and unavoidable impact of increasing the council's element of pension contributions to the county council pension fund and from increasing salary costs arising from job evaluation and equal pay audits under Government legislation.

The plans can be amended before an executive meeting on October 12 and will need to be approved by the full council.