City Hall union Unison is sending a strong message to Bradford Council that it will fight any attempt to force top officers out of their jobs.

The stand comes as the Council prepares to axe ten top jobs, in a radical management restructure.

Posts would be advertised nationally and the existing management team would have to compete against other applicants.

Chief executive Ian Stewart, who joined the authority in May, says compulsory redundancies may be necessary. And he has stressed there will be full consultation on the proposals and professional help to find other employment will be given to anyone who loses a job.

He says it is not a reflection on the officers' work but because of the huge changes in the way the Council is working.

But some angry officers have said they believe the new structure has been deliberately used to engineer them out of jobs.

Mr Stewart says the shake-up is needed to get the right people doing the right jobs in the reorganised Council.

Regional Unison official Keith Williamson was in talks with Mr Stewart about the union decision today and is meeting the officers tomorrow.

The union's resolution, passed by a large majority, said officers should be re-deployed or put in new posts if the job descriptions were the same.

Extensive consultation is taking place between the unions, officers and councillors about the proposals which could result in new management by summer.

It would comprise three new assistant chief executives heading services, with 18 directors on a lower rung.

All Council directorates would be abolished and a director of schools would deal with the massive schools reorganisation.

Mr Williamson said: "We would oppose any move to make anyone compulsorily redundant, although I cannot say in what form that may be."

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