HUGE cutbacks at Medway Council will leave hundreds of staff with thousands of pounds less in their wage packets, it has been disclosed.

It is believed that about nine per cent of the 7,000 workforce at junior and mid-management will see pay cuts.

The Medway Messenger newspaper has been told that the cutbacks will become effective from April next year as part of an overall pay review. One employee, who did not want to be named, said he would stand to lose £2,400 from his salary.

He said: "I have contacted my solicitor, because I knew they could freeze salaries, but not cut them like this."

It is understood it will affect workers at council offices throughout Medway, including the Civic Centre, Strood, Compass Centre, Chatham Maritime and the Municipal Buildings, Gillingham.

A Medway Council spokesman said: "We appreciate this is a difficult time for some members of staff as a small minority of people who work for the council have seen their salaries drop as a result of the review.

"The vast majority of staff salaries have remained at the same level and some lower paid workers have gained from the process, particularly those who deal with the public. The new system replaces an ad-hoc structure inherited from predecessor authorities and has streamlined it into one coherent pay structure, which resolves anomalies and provides a fairer system."

Members of the employment matters committee agreed the new pay scheme.