Regional publisher Iliffe News and Media has told employees it plans to reduce staff numbers at two of its weekly subsidiaries.

Earlier this year, the company announced plans to cut jobs at Staffordshire Newspapers and Cambridge Newspapers, which publish the Burton Mail and Cambridge News respectively.

Now this is to be extended to weekly publishers Herts & Essex Newspapers and LSN Media as a result of a restructure of its regional divisions.

LSN Media includes the four previously closure-threatened titles recently acquired from Trinity Mirror – the Northampton Herald & Post, the East Northants Herald & Post Series, the Brackley & Towcester Herald & Post and the Market Harborough Herald & Post.

The restructure will see LSN Media merging with Staffordshire Newspapers in a new business unit under the name of Iliffe News and Media Central with Mike Richardson as managing director.

Meanwhile, Cambridge Newspapers will combine with Herts & Essex Newspapers to form Iliffe News and Media East under managing director Graham Ayres.

In a memo to staff, chief executive David Fordham said: “We recently began a consultation process to reduce headcount within the two daily newspaper centres.

“This process will now be extended to encompass the new divisional structure and will therefore include LSN Media and Herts & Essex Newspapers.

“Further centralisation of functions within each new business unit is envisaged as part of this process.

“Where there is a risk to individual jobs, the company will of course enter into proper consultation and will, where appropriate, involve recognised trade unions.”