Dundee city council employees are about to get another chance to take early retirement or voluntary redundancy.
A scheme that has already seen more than 400 workers leave is set to be extended for another year, provided councillors give their backing on Monday.
No target has been set for the number of people who could go, as this will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Although the council will have to meet the one-off costs of redundancy and retirement packages, it makes long-term savings by cutting its workforce. These savings now amount to more than £9 million a year.
Reductions in staffing will only be allowed when the council reckons they make financial sense and it can benefit from efficiencies through improved methods of working or the restructuring of its services.
Changes will be made to this year’s scheme to try to minimise the number of applicants who are disappointed when their request to go is turned down.
Marjory Stewart, the council’s director of corporate services, said the aim was to give employees who meet the criteria for the scheme greater certainty that if they choose to accept an offer, it will be approved.
She said: “It is not possible to identify the level of savings which will be achieved as this will be dependent on uptake. All decisions to offer and approve applications for voluntary early retirement and voluntary redundancy will be made in the best financial interests of the council.”
The scheme was launched in 2010/11 as part of budget-saving measures. More than 500 employees applied, with 295 being allowed to leave.
Applications in the following two years remained high, at 246 and 173, but the number of staff who left dropped sharply to 80 and 39, although a few dozen others had their applications deferred rather than refused.
Provided the policy and resources committee approves the scheme next week, it will be launched later this month with a closing date for applications of October 30.
Ms Stewart said approval will be subject to the council being able to keep enough staff with the necessary skills to maintain effective public services.