Staff in departments such as IT, finance, marketing and communications at the young people's information, advice and guidance service were told two weeks before Christmas that redundancy notices would be issued.

All the employees affected work at the head office in Hampshire and don't directly offer advice and guidance to young people.

Connexions South Central will be formally wound down from 1 April and responsibility for its services handed over to four local authorities - Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight. The decision was taken to move services under the control of the councils last year. The government announced in 2005 that local authorities in England should decide how Connexions partnerships are run by April 2008.

One staff member from Connexions South Central, who did not want to be named, said those affected were distraught at the job losses. "People have worked really hard behind the scenes," she said. "It feels like all that hard work has been for nothing."

All 12 Connexions centres in Hampshire are also expected to close (CYP Now, 17-23 October 2007).

Julie Murdoch, Unison branch secretary for Hampshire, said: "We thought people would be absorbed into the councils, so it was a shock when they started talking about redundancies."

Conservative councillor David Kirk, the lead member for children for Hampshire, said the board would be finalising its plans in the coming months. "I'd like to assure that this new structure will build on services already provided and will give us more frontline staff," he said.