ABOUT 75 employees are at risk of losing their jobs at a young people's careers and advice service.

Connexions Cheshire and Warrington has to make the full-time job cuts by the end of August.

That is because the Government is forcing it to reduce its expenditure by about 25 per cent.

The not-for-profit organisation offers advice to 13 to 19-year-olds and has staff based in schools, colleges and the community.

It is co-owned by Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council and Warrington Borough Council.

Connexions Cheshire currently receives about £7.5 million a year, but managers have been told they have to save £1.7 million by the end of the financial year.

Director of operations Norma Guest, who is based at the Northwich head office, said the job losses would be confirmed by the end of August.

She added: "We have to act quickly, because we are already halfway through the year.

"The job losses will be at all levels ranging from managers, operational managers, back office staff, finance, front-line staff, personal advisers and youth workers.

"We are currently in a consultation process with staff and union representatives.

"We expect it to be a mix of voluntary and compulsory redundancy.

"We have also been asking staff if they would be willing to reduce their working week by 10 per cent until March next year as we do not want to lose the expertise.

"We have had an incredible response to the reduced working and 130 people have signed up."

Ms Guest said services would be affected across the organisation, which employs about 500 full and part-time workers.

She added: "There will be less staff on the ground level, so we will have to shut our Connexions centres on Saturdays.

"These provide advice and support to youngsters

"We will also have to reduce the time we send staff into schools and colleges and youth clubs will be affected as well.

"We knew that budget cuts were coming, but not to this degree or this quickly."

Ray McHale, assistant branch secretary of West Cheshire Unison, said the cuts would dramatically affect the services offered to young people.

He said there was a danger of the Connexions centre in Lawton Street, Congleton, closing completely.

Mr McHale added: "The job losses will affect those people that are working with particularly vulnerable members of society such as those who are currently classed as Neets – not in education, employment or training."

The news comes after The Sentinel reported last week that up to 100 jobs were at risk at the Staffordshire branch of the organisation following a £1.5 million funding cut.