A consultation process over the future of a newspaper printing plant in Norfolk is to result in 36 job losses – 14 fewer than had been originally feared.

Regional publisher Archant last month said up to 50 jobs at the Thorpe St Andrew plant near Norwich could go as a result of plans to outsource the printing of some of its weekly titles.

However the figure has been cut as a result of the consultation process which Archant Print managing director Nick Schiller described as “very constructive”

The company had originally been proposing to move printing at the plant to a single night shift for its four daily titles in Suffolk and Norfolk, but it will now retain a single press day shift too.

Mr Schiller said: “The consultation process was very constructive and has resulted in improved, more resilient and flexible proposals with a better outcome for the company and a reduced impact on the workforce.

“The consultation team comprising senior management, team leaders, elected staff and union representatives was very effective in proposing a number of alternative strong ideas which we shall be adopting.

“Keeping a small day shift will enable us to keep maintenance and production support in-house as well as keep serving our external contract print customers. It will also give us an extra degree of flexibility.”

Archant Print is to outsource printing of some of its weekly newspapers in London, Kent, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire to Newsfax, based in London.