CIVIC chiefs have unveiled plans for a major restructuring of an Essex authority as it battles to make �4.3m in savings.

The proposals involve slashing the number of public services Tendring District Council (TDC) provides from 11 to 6, and cutting staffing levels.

It is unclear how many jobs will go, but council bosses have pledged to maximise savings in a bid to keep redundancies to a minimum.

Ian Davidson, TDC’s new chief executive, said the squeeze on funding from the Government had necessitated the savings drive.

He said: “This whole restructure is set against a background of significant budget reductions and we need to create an organisation which is fit for purpose.

“We need to be a community leader and deliver quality services to our residents – despite that loss of funding. We must deliver more for less, year on year.”

Mr Davidson said the authority had launched a scheme to encourage staff to come forward with cost-saving suggestions. “I want to minimise redundancies, so I will need to maximise all savings opportunities,” he added.

“We have had a significant number of suggestions from staff over the past week and I hope more will follow. All of them will be considered and evaluated.”

Bosses at the council, which wants to save �4.3m by 2014, have already held meetings with staff about the reorganisation plans.

A spokesman for public service union Unison said: “We will play an active part during the forthcoming reorganisation and will continue to represent staff interests during these difficult times.”

Cllr Neil Stock, leader of TDC, said: “There is no doubt we need to look carefully at all of our services, what we can afford to deliver and to what standard.

“We will work together to come up with an organisation that continues to deliver good services on budget.”

A report on the restructure and reorganisation will be considered at a meeting of TDC on March 29.