A “plethora” of job losses at South Ayrshire Council have been ‘masked’ as ‘reviews’ in the upcoming year its been claimed.

Councillor Hugh Hunter has hit out at the number of teacher posts affected by council savings - including a reduction in support staff at special schools.

He said:“There is an almost five per cent increase in council tax accompanied by a plethora of job losses.”

Money for supply teachers has been slashed by £50,000 and there will be fewer classroom assistants.

Fifteen teachers posts are being chopped.

Conservative Councillor Hunter said the “attack” on special schools is the most “despicable.”

He added: “This is just the tip of a vast array of job losses masked as ‘reviews’ within this SNP/Labour austerity budget.”

Within the budget document released by the council, job cuts were referred to as “reviews” of staffing arrangements.

More than 60 cutbacks will hit South Ayrshire Council services from next month.

Jobs will disappear from the payroll but the council have promised it will happen without compulsory redundancies.

Residents face a 4.79 per cent council tax rise starting in April.

The council has been hit with a £4.6 million reduction in cash from the Scottish Government.