COUNTY Hall is set to axe political aides employed with taxpayers’ money.

Oxfordshire County Council currently employs three political assistants, attached to the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat groups, at a cost of £139,000 per year.

But the council’s cabinet has agreed to scrap the posts, which have been in place since 1993, as part of the authority’s bid to save £155m over the next four years.

Council leader Keith Mitchell said councillors would have to carry out the work of the assistants in future such as policy research and liaison with national parties.

He added: “Given the scale of redundancies we are facing, I will feel better able to look members of staff in the eye when they know that we are taking a modest share of the pain.”

A council report said the assistants were held in high regard by councillors and senior managers, and the review was due to financial pressures.

Up to three political assistants can be employed by councils under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

The council is also looking to recruit a new head of strategy and communications, on a salary of up to £97,180.

The new post will replace four current posts within the county council including the head of communications, marketing and public affairs.

Council spokesman Owen Morton said: “This is a case of four jobs being merged into one with a current assistant chief executive post and three head of service posts being combined into this one new post.

“This represents a salary saving of about £220,000-£255,000 for the taxpayer and the council.”