Complaints over redundancies at Camden Council

A row has broken out in Camden Town Hall among councillors after they discovered support workers who help them with their case work have been made redundant.

On Monday night it was revealed at a full council meeting that staff in the members support department had to reapply for their jobs.

Only three of six were kept on.

It has caused fury within the Town Hall among councillors who say they had no idea the council was restructuring the department. A council spokesman said the review was undertaken to ensure the service was responsive to the needs of members. It had resulted in revised job descriptions and new salary gradings.

It had been mooted in the council chamber that the decision will affect backbenchers more than cabinet members, but the spokesman said: “There will be an increase in the number of support officers available to assist all councillors.

“In the old structure there were six officers, three for cabinet and three for the rest of the council. In the new structure there are 10 across the board.”