UNION bosses are claiming victory after calling off the long-running strike which crippled council services in Southampton.

Leaders of the public service union Unison clinched a deal with City Council chiefs that has saved 45 jobs and allowances for workers who use their cars on essential business.

Hundreds of city council staff have voted to accept the offer and bring an official end to their six-month-old dispute with city bosses that had brought key services grinding to a halt.

City council leader Adrian Vinson denied civic chiefs had caved in during negotiations between the unions and the previous Labour administration.

He said: "That is certainly not my view of the package negotiated by our predecessors and the unions. I believe it was a win/win situation.

"My understanding is that ways have been found within which greater time can be provided to find satisfactory alternative solutions for staff whose current positions were at risk. Some room for manoeuvrability has been found by compromises on all sides but within the framework necessary to deliver the budget."

The strike was called following the former Labour administration's controversial budget meeting in February, which threatened to axe about 130 jobs and slashed worker's essential car allowances.

During the strike, workers had refused to use their own cars for council business and had staged an overtime ban.

They had also staged a one-day walkout during the council's budget setting meeting.

Workers agreed to bring a formal halt to the industrial action on May 19, while a vote on the new deal was put to Unison members.

The vote overwhelmingly decided in favour of formally ending the strike with 1,111 in favour, 105 against and one abstention.

Seventy-one vacant posts have not been filled following lengthy negotiations between the unions and city finance chiefs.

There have been a further 14 voluntary redundancies. The remaining staff threatened with the axe have been redeployed.

Unison branch secretary Mike Tucker said: "Our preference would have been not to have the dispute in the first place. We spent six months in a dispute which could have been avoided.

"It has turned out that 97 per cent of people in receipt of essential car users allowance are still going to retain them. The dispute began with the council proposing to abolish them completely."

Southampton City Council leader Adrian Vinson said: "This is a most welcome decision.

"I congratulate our staff in ending this dispute and recognise the part played by the previous administration, particularly Councillor June Bridle.

"With this issue resolved, the council can now move forward."

Deputy Conservative group leader Royston Smith had not yet seen the details of the deal.

He said: "If they have saved these jobs then I would be interested to know how they found the money to do that because they have to work within the constraints of the former Labour administration.

"If these jobs are being saved then that's going to cost people more money or if it's going to put more services at risk then I would not be happy."