A business support body that helps new and growing businesses, including some in Bradford, is seeking to reduce its 450-strong workforce by 125 after a £4.4m budget cut.

Business Link Yorkshire has been forced to restructure in the wake of budget cuts at Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency which is being wound up by the coalition Government.

It is revamping its services following a 17 per cent cut in its budget and says it will continue to support aspiring entrepreneurs and growing firms.

Helen West, chief executive, said: “We have to make cuts to our service, and inevitably this will impact on our staff numbers.

“As a result, we have started a three-month consultation period to determine how best the budget changes can be achieved.

“A programme of support is in place and staff will be invited to apply for voluntary redundancy. There are, however, likely to be compulsory redundancies.

“In the meantime, we are working behind the scenes to do the best we can to minimise disruption of the service and to ensure a seamless transition into the future model, It is essential that we must not let this uncertainty disrupt the service that we offer to businesses.”

Helen said she believed that, despite the changes, Business Link had a major role to play in continuing to provide business support.