UP to 275 management jobs at Essex County Council could be lost as part of its continuing cost-cutting drive, the authority has announced.

A spokesman said the proposed reduction in roles would be met by voluntary redundancies, retirement, normal staff turn-over and not filling existing vacancies.

The council insists frontline services will not be affected.

Cllr Derrick Louis, the council's cabinet member for central services, said: “Essex County Council is no different to any other organisation that needs to get into shape if it is going to cope with these challenging economic times.

"We have also said that we must change and transform ourselves from within so that we can maintain and protect key front-line services.

“That is why the organisation has taken a proactive approach to reducing layers of management that have built up over time to help create a leaner structure.

"This will bring much quicker and sharper decision-making and will ultimately lead to enhanced local services and better value for money for Essex residents”.

Unions have been informed of the plans.

School staff will not be affected by the move.

The council says it is currently considering the reduction, but does "expect" up to 275 line-manager jobs to go.

The announcement comes after unions warned that hundreds of jobs could be lost at the council following its privatisation deal with IBM.