UP to 147 jobs at Buckinghamshire County Council could go between now and June.

The authority, responsible for roads and schools among other services, announced its budget plans last week and has told the BFP these posts may be lost in the first five months of 2013.

Redundancies are not necessarily going to occur in all of the 147 positions, officials said.

But the move is part of ongoing cut backs as funding from central Government continues to be reduced.

The council said it total savings over the last three years now amount to £68 million.

The numbers of staff at the council have already dropped from over 4,150 in September 2009 to 3,231 in September 2012, its latest figures show. These do not include teachers or school staff.

Council leader Martin Tett last week said more “back office savings” were being made for the next financial year, starting in April and officials have now said these are predominantly from services such as HR, Finance, ICT, Business Support, Property and Legal Services.

Aidan Shutter, council spokesman, said: “We send regular reports to the Dept. for Business Innovation and Skills on projected redundancies across the organisation.

“At present we have declared that up to 147 posts may be lost between January and June 2013.

“Not all these will result in redundancies as some are vacant and some covered by temporary staff. “We have a strong track record of managing workforce reductions so that they have the minimum impact on employees.

“The county council is constantly striving to find more efficient ways of delivering services or automating processes.”

He added: “In addition to finding more effective ways of delivering back office services, the county council is also delivering more income which is helping to close the budget gaps and protect vital front line services.”