UNION bosses have warned a town hall restructure will lead to a new high-paid director role at a time of huge public sector job losses.

GMB and UNISON union reps have called on councillors to reject the Brighton and Hove City Council management reshuffle at a meeting this week.

Council bosses have vowed to create a “flatter” management structure with no more than six tiers of management.

But GMB branch secretary Mark Turner said larger authorities operated with half the six directors proposed under the council’s new structure, while Green councillors said the proposals needed further work.

He said: “Under the current economic climate and given the level of cuts that the public are facing, along with our members having to deliver the same services with less resources, the executive leadership team are not taking a 30 per cent cut as others are.”

Council leader Warren Morgan said the move would save taxpayers more than £200,000 initially.

An increased focus on business will see a new director of economy, environment and transport.

Assistant chief executive Paula Murray, who began a six-month secondment to Croydon at the start of the month, is being consulted on having her role rebranded as assistant director for culture.

Long-serving adult social care boss Denise D’Souza is expected to leave her role in November.

A new director of health, wellbeing and adults will combine the adult social care and public health which was vacated by the departure of Dr Tom Scanlon last month.

Unions are unhappy with the proposal to create a new director of communities and housing post and argue the top level of management should face the same 30 per cent level of cuts imposed on other departments.

In total the council will be cutting one £45,000 support officer post for the chief executive, one £118,000-a-year executive director role and three assistant director roles from January next year.

Cllr Morgan said “We are reducing top level management, not increasing it, and we are saving almost £2 million over the next three years in management costs overall.

“Residents will be paying more for less and that is directly the result of Conservative government policy.”

Cllr Geoffrey Theobald, Conservative group leader, said: “We have been calling for significant savings in the cost of management at the council for five years and so we welcome the chief executive’s restructure as very much a step in the right direction.

"The restructure also reflects the growing importance of the Council’s role in promoting economic development in the city which I wholeheartedly support.”