A "significant" number of jobs will be lost at Norfolk County Council as part of a strategic review at County Hall, officers have confirmed.
Staff at the council had briefings from the authority's head of paid service Tom McCabe this week and will discover in January whether their roles are at risk of redundancy.
The Conservative-controlled council has brought in consultants to carry out that strategic review, with an ambition to save up to £20m a year.
Council leaders previously said they want to cut the number of management layers at the organisation and that external consultants can help strip away "duplication".
Progress on the strategic review came under the spotlight at a meeting of the council's scrutiny committee on Wednesday (October 19).
That review aims to save £16m in the first phase - and jobs are likely to be lost.
Mr McCabe held briefings with staff about potential changes this week.
He said: "People will be understandably worried about their future. I want to do it sensitively and I want to do it well.
"But there is an acknowledgement that we have to be a leaner, more affordable organisation, but with the right capabilities to deliver what it is that we want to deliver.
"A real challenge for me will be around staffing because inevitably we will have to lose jobs to deliver within budget.
"There will be a significant number of jobs which will have to go."
Mr McCabe added: "As I've said to staff, we expect we will start early consultation with them in 2023.
"I don't want to prejudge what areas and what numbers. But the one number we have been very clear about is that there is £16m there which is achievable. But those will be difficult yards."
Committee chairman Steve Morphew, the leader of the opposition Labour group, and Liberal Democrat leader Brian Watkins questioned why it had taken so long for a strategic review, given the last one was 10 years ago.
Mr Watkins said: "I think some people would say the council has been asleep at the wheel."
Mr McCabe said that was not the case and the organisation had "not stood still".
He said work had been going on to transform council departments over the years - although it needs to close a £116m gap by 2027.
Mr McCabe said: "It's not like we have woken up one day and found ourselves in trouble."
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