The local authority revealed a number of payment options which aim to helping address an anticipated £9.5 million shortfall in its budget over the next three years.

Options for plugging the gap include withholding a 1 per cent public sector pay rise next year, reducing shift allowances and overtime for frontline staff, and slashing the number of public holidays from 10 per year to four.

Members of the GMB union will be balloted over the next three weeks prior to a possible second ballot that would ask if they wanted to take industrial action.

It is understood that hundreds of staff could be affected including care workers and council colleagues in road, transport and refuse services.

The council said that no decisions had yet been made on the options, which are still at the consultation stage.