CHANGES to the redundancy policy for Rossendale Borough Council workers have been slammed.

Council bosses have given the green light to revisions to their redundancy and grievance policy, ahead of tomorrow's crunch Comprehensive Spending Review announcement by Chancellor George Osborne.

And a controversial alteration, which could lead to staff losing redundancy payouts, has been savaged by Liberal Democrat councillor Jim Pilling.

Coun Pilling said: “I have got a big problem with the fact that if a worker is facing redunancy, and is offered an alternative post, and they refuse it, for whatever reason, then may lose redundancy payments.

"I think it is totally unfair to offer them a job they do not want."

Coun Brian Essex, finance cabinet member, said the policy had been fully discussed with unions and the council's scrutiny committee.