MORE than 200 redundancies could be made at the tax office in a Kent city within three years.

The office in Canterbury has been earmarked to lose 75 staff by 2008 and another 150 before 2010. There are now 325 employees working in the building.

Last year’s merger of the Inland Revenue and HM Customs & Excise has provoked an overhaul of what is now HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

Consultation will begin in December to work out how best to meet the national target of reducing costs by £30million and employees by 12,500 by April, 2008.

Steve Hazell , HMRC spokesman, said: "No compulsory redundancies or transfers will be made before September 2007, and that date could be extended. And no counters where the public can meet our staff face to face will be closed."

Acting HMRC chairman Paul Gray said the intention of the restructuring plan was to cut costs and create a more modern, effective department.