Some 200 members of staff are facing redundancy from a council in the south of England.

The employees at Southampton City Council will lose their jobs as a result of a hole in the budget at the local authority, reports the Daily Echo.

But the Conservatives argue the cuts being made at the council are going to result in as many as 400 members of staff avoiding redundancies.

Labour leader Richard Williams slammed the changes as a "budget for the election", claiming they fail to deal with underlying funding issues.

"Whoever is in power after May will be bringing out some sort of mini budget because there are so many unanswered questions," he said.

Earlier this month, Derby City Council was criticised by Nicole Beresford, Unison branch secretary for the local authority, who claimed there is no need for it to make 300 people redundant from their jobs and will result in a lack of skills and authority at the body.