Union leaders will meet management at Aberdeen City Council today as a consolation into hundreds of job cuts continues.

Up to 600 posts could go as the local authority struggles to balance its books as it faces a £17million cash shortfall.

Department heads have been asked to pinpoint five percent savings from their budgets.

A 90-day consultation with union leaders is underway. The local authority says the 600 job losses would be the worst case scenario. The council employs around 11,000 staff.

Unions say they cannot rule out industrial action over the job cut plans.

The need to save £50million two years ago saw savage cuts to services across Aberdeen.

Leisure facilities closed, schools were affected and support for disabled people was reduced. That resulted in widespread public anger with culminated in thousands of people staging a protest march through the city centre.