MoganGirl you are such a rebel. Were you in the Tooting Popular Front? Encouraging insurrection and rebellion like this is terrible. If Gareth Woods is reading this (he seems to spend alot of time on the forum, I imagine him to be like one of the fat detectives in the Fast Show - munching a 10am pasty livener from Greggs or a lunchtime Kebab)then please bring MoganGirl to justice!

   T.T.T. Its about time then in macclesfield EVERY body refused to pay the rates rises. and all went to prison along with the little old ladies then isnt it??

   I agree TSC, I think maybe we will be seeing more cuts soon from the Cheshire...

   Companies consolidating/merging in these times is inevitable. 3% isnt a big figure - i am suprised they arent using this as an opportunity to cull more underperforming staff.

   Mogan, it's not right but the answer to your question is that the council is public sector and therefore postively swimming in surplus cash, straight from Whitehall and freshly printed.

Cheshire is private sector and is effected by market conditions, where there is a recession, even Burger King has had to close it's doors!

Although I read today that Cheshire (and Derbyshire) have approached Nationwide for protection and are intending to merge. Therefore these job cuts are obviously in prep for the merger.

   News of a merger hits the market and the smoke screen is lifted, spot on Totty.

   If there is a recession. Why are these jobs being axed here, yet the town hall has 3 more jobs vacant at wages of 100.000 each at the same time private companies are axing jobs. I think that proves there is no recession at all where spending the ratepayers money is concerned.

   The Bloated public services never get there commupance. Or else why are those 100.000 wages jobs advertised in the Macc town hall not so long ago, At the so called start of the recesion?? This week in The Daily Mail one consultant who was on that very same wage, has left his job to become a hairdresser. YE GODS!!! It is coming to something when a hospital consultant is classed as nothing but a town hall clerk on the same wages as them. Its my view that if they are getting that kind of wage at the town halls. Then There surely should be no need at all. For the ratepayers to be paying out for expensive planning firms and other agencys to be showing them how to do there jobs. They should be doing all that sort of work themselves!!that sort of wages they are being paid. What actual qualifications have these 100.000 wages people got??? and what for?? I would like to know.

   It's a good smokescreen though eh Totty?

I would definately make under-performing middle management (people like Bill North) redundant using the Credit Crunch as an excuse if i had the chance. Common sense to me.

"The Credit Crunch" AKA a chance to get rid of dead wood, cut costs and get things streamlined again.

Good news this Credit Crunch methinks, too many Gen Y'ers havent gone through any tough times or recession and in everyline of work their is bungling fools doing well inspite of themselves and because of the favourable economic conditions we have enjoyed over the past decade.

A good recession always sorts the wheat from the chaff. Lets hope the bloated public services will also get their cumuppance.

   Surely this is just another example of a large firm using the "credit crunch" as an excuse to shed some staff.

Yes, there is a credit crunch, yes a lot of people are affected by it. But a large Building Society with a reutation for wise investments and prime clients ... ?

   Sad news, especially after the redundancies a few years ago and the branch closures. Quite apart from the quality of the products and service, the loyalty of local people has always meant a lot to the Cheshire. Years ago, when somebody in Macc announced they were going to "t'bank" it was the Society they meant. I am sure the Cheshire will weather the current problems. Good luck to you all.

   I would have thought that the cheshites traditional approach to finance would have sheltered it from the worst of the credit crunch, they don't have an adverse credit lending facility do they?

Most of the job losses are from management i understand

   Sign of the times. First of more to come. Trouble looms for lots of folk methinks. Macc will hit hard by the Credit Crunch.