Westminster City Council is to cut 520 of its 3,720 posts, with the highest proportion coming from management and senior roles, BBC News reports. Cllr Paul Fisher, Cabinet Member for Value for Money and Finance, said the announcement was difficult but would help the council protect the services residents value as Labour’s funding changes take £100 million a year out of Westminster’s grant.
The job cuts will save £29 million over the coming year, and the council expects to save a further £16 million on contracts and on the way it leases and rents buildings. Those affected will leave between April and December 2027.
Cllr Fisher told the BBC the council would become more efficient by making more use of technology such as AI and taking on commercial opportunities. He warned that there would be further significant savings ahead, and called the restructure an “important step”.
The council received £219 million in government grant in 2025/26. Under Labour’s Fair Funding Review that falls to £119 million by 2029/30, and the council faces a £160 million budget gap by 2029. Westminster has joined Kensington and Chelsea, Richmond and Wandsworth in formally challenging the Government over the changes, with council leaders saying they are being punished for running services efficiently and have had no time to plan.
