Up to 36 editorial posts at the Bristol Evening Post and Western Daily Press could be made redundant under plans to make changes to the Northcliffe titles.

A further 11 could go at the company’s Plymouth titles, the Evening Herald and Western Morning News.

Both cities have their morning and evening newspapers in the same building.

Strategists from the Aim Higher cost-cutting programme have been looking at the way the Bristol and Plymouth titles work to identify areas in which it might be able to make savings. The newspapers are now looking at the suggestions and consulting with staff.

A spokesman for the company said: “We have only just received the figures, and we will be looking at them closely, and discussing them with staff to see if they make sense.

“It is impossible for any of us to form a view at the moment. We need to dig deep into the recommendations, and see how they might work in practice.”

Proposals include putting in place a ‘central spine’ which might handle certain functions that are currently carried out individually in the newspapers.

Departments that could be merged include the sports and picture desks. The Evening Post/WDP subbing operation could also be merged, as could that at the Evening Herald and WMN.

Staff were told on Friday about the proposals. The new editors-in-chief at the two centres, Mike Norton in Bristol and Alan Qualtrough in Plymouth, will work on the proposals.

Northcliffe’s Aim Higher is an efficiency project focusing on ways to save at least £25m a year.

The two-year initiative is looking at policies, processes and structures across all areas of the business.