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A bidder in the nation’s capital is likely to come away today with an odd item at auction – a public toilet building. This former WC block is to be sold for tens of thousands of pounds in London as it is no longer wanted by its railway authority owners. The single storey edifice and the plot on which it stands are close to the city’s cricket ground in Bath.

Regional secretary of the Unite union Davey Hall commented that it may be of benefit to pool resources, regarding proposals that Sunderland and South Tyne councils could share services.

Forty-eight top jobs will go at a council, which says the measure needs to be done in the light of reduced central government funding. Liverpool City Council will be making savings of up to £4.25m; plus there will be salary cuts to high-earning roles.

A politician has accused Labour-run Rhondda Cynon Taff (RCT) council of "outrageous right-wing behaviour" when it tried to get staff to accept worse pay under new contracts.

In order to clear a total deficit of £12 million over the financial cycle, Tayside Police is proposing early retirement and voluntary redundancy to more than 600 staff in the hope some will accept.

The Conservative and Liberal Democrat Coalition is pledging to invest £15.8 billion to improve school buildings, including the expansion of primary schools, which are facing the most pressure for places. It follows a decision to veto the last Government’s “wasteful” £45bn plan to rebuild every secondary school in England.

Discussions are taking place between two Lothian councils over plans to merge their departments in a move that would be a first for the north of the border. The merger plans are part of wider talks between East Lothian and Midlothian councils, along with West Lothian, Scottish Borders and Fife councils. A senior Scottish Government official has also been seconded to help develop the plans.

Strike action at the beginning of the week by Tube workers was described as "cynical". Mike Brown, London Underground managing director, added: "Services are operating on virtually all lines despite the pointless strike.” On its website Transport for London said there was a restricted service on some lines.

A quarter of the 24,000 non-schools workforce employed by a council are at risk of losing their jobs, says a prominent trade union. GMB, a general trade union in the United Kingdom, said Lancashire County Council had invited staff to volunteer for redundancy and early retirement.

More than 100 jobs are under threat due to a local authority’s plans to save £33m over ten years. Herefordshire council said it was responding to the challenge of the government’s spending review. Herefordshire Council, the PCT (primary care trust) and county hospital would all be jointly entrusted with the provision of some care services.

Well-known company De La Rue has seen about one-third of its half-yearly profits cancelled out by employees not following best practice on paperwork.

A local authority which needs to save £10m a year for four years has announced that 100 workers will lose their jobs. Oxford City Council said that other cost-cutting measures could include increased parking fees or charging for park and ride schemes.