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More than 350 posts are set to be axed by Newcastle City Council under savings plans.

The council has approved cuts in a bid to save £30m from its budget this year.

The Labour-run authority said it had done all it could to protect services most important to people and council tax had been frozen.

Meanwhile, Sunderland Council is also to cut £28m, but said it hoped any staff reduction would be through "natural wastage".

A spokesman for Newcastle council said many of the posts to be axed were already vacant and that it would try to avoid compulsory redundancies.

"We are working closely with the unions to help staff towards reskilling and avoiding forcing people out of their jobs," he said.

"But it's true to say it is getting harder and harder to avoid compulsory redundancies as we get slimmer and slimmer as an organisation."

Councillor Paul Watson, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: "As we committed to last year, we are doing this without mass redundancies.

"Instead, we have focused on listening to the priorities of the people of Sunderland and redirecting resources to areas of most need."

Mr Watson pledged the council would still invest in on-going projects such as the Vaux redevelopment site and the new Washington Leisure Centre.

Gateshead Council currently employs 7,000 staff and Newcastle Council 10,500 staff, both figures excluding teachers.