SIGNIFICANT job losses are expected at the award-winning Dorset Archives Service in Dorchester.

The service, based at the Dorset History Centre, is facing severe budget pressures and must save £85,000 over the next three years.

Dorset County Council has admitted a reduction in staff is likely in a bid to save cash.

In December staff at the service - jointly run by the county council, Bournemouth Borough Coun-cil and the Borough of Poole - were named among the best in the country.

The service was awarded a top, three-star rating and described as excellent' following an inspection by the National Archives. But now major job cuts are expected after the authorities embarked on their three-year cost-cutting exercise.

Paul Leivers, head of county cultural services, said: "The archives service is facing severe budget pressures, and will have to make savings of £85,000 over the next three years.

"The staffing budget is the largest budget and this means we'll need to look at staffing at the Dorset History Centre.

"At this stage there are no firm proposals and we'll need to consult staff, elected members and the public on any ideas and proposals, where appropriate, in due course."

Mr Leivers said the move was part of a three-year plan to provide long-term clarity' for the archives service, and staff will be consulted before changes are made.

"We remain committed to providing an excellent, effective archives service for the public," he added. "Our staff will play a vital role in achieving that."

Alan Martin, regional organiser for trade union Unison, warned of the consequences.

He said: "I can't see how they can deliver a three-star service with less staff.

"No operation can lose a number of well-qualified staff and continue to do what they're doing."

Mr Martin expected the losses to be significant'.

He said: "There's nothing else left to cut, so it's having to come off the staffing budget.

"It'll have to be a significant number of people, because archivists aren't paid a fortune."

He added: "This has happened before and they've been on a limited budget, so I don't think anybody's really surprised.

"But this is a lot larger than anybody was expecting. We'll be campaigning on behalf of the staff."

The Dorset Archives Centre holds over six miles of archives covering all aspects of the history and lives of people in the county.

Leading Dorset historian Bill Putnam was horrified' at the thought jobs could be cut from the centre.

"It's a first class place, they do a really good job," he said. "I'm horrified at even the suggestion of cuts at this establishment."

The cost-cutting issue was discussed at a meeting of the joint archives advisory board last month. Their recommendations are currently being considered by all three councils.