GOVERNMENT cuts will hit jobs at Winchester City Council, its new leader has warned.

Councillor Kelsie Learney fears the authority would be badly affected by Whitehall’s moves to slash the budget deficit.

The Liberal Democrat, whose party seized control of the council from the Conservatives at the May 6 local elections, refused to be drawn on how many staff might lose their jobs but said her administration would look to replace people with technology and reduce bureaucracy.

She said: “Of course we have got the national situation where we expect budget cuts and we fear that’s going to affect us badly,” she added.

Simon Woolfenben, Winchester branch chairman for Unison, said the leader’s comments would hit the morale of the city council’s 450-strong workforce.

He added: “I think we’re disappointed that the leader would be saying such matters before any formal consultation with the unions.”

Cllr Learney, 43, revealed she faced a budget deficit of £200,000 and that reserves had been run down. But former leader George Beckett rubbished the claims saying he had put plans in place to balance the authority’s finances in February.

He said: “Cllr Learney is fully aware that the reserves have been used for capital projects such as repaving the high street. We have simply got on with them and made them a priority at a time when the capital was earning no interest.”

Despite the squeeze on public finances Cllr Learney outlined plans to increase the city’s stock of social housing, introduce food waste collections and push green issues.

She said she was also keen to reverse Conservative policy of selling off council homes.

She said: “We have not got enough social housing in Winchester; we have got a huge waiting list.

And we can use our own council land to build them.”