STONEMASONS responsible for maintaining York Minster are facing redundancy.

A month-long consultation process ended yesterday after bosses at the cathedral announced they had to consider the “long-term sustainability” of its 45-strong works department.

The number of stonemasons available needs to be downsized after staffing was doubled when work began on the cathedral’s Great East Window.

However, the project is now entering its final phase and staff levels will almost certainly be reduced before any other programmes are considered, but it is not known how many will staff be axed until after the consultation period closes.

A spokeswoman for York Minster said: “The proposals include a reduction in the number of stonemasons’ posts within the department.

“The York Minster Revealed project, part funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, provided a fabulous opportunity to conserve the Great East Window and the stone to the east front of York Minster and required us to double the size of the stonemason team in order to deliver the project.

“As the project enters its final phase we need to look at the long term sustainability of the department and the numbers that we need to ensure operational viability. We are therefore consulting the team on the proposals.

“The welfare of the team – particularly those whose roles may be at risk – will be our number one priority in the coming weeks and months. This includes liaising with other cathedrals and heritage organisations in the North of England and the UK with major conservation and restoration projects to discuss potential employment opportunities.”

It is uncertain how many masons face redundancy.

Staff inside The Mason’s Yard are primarily responsible for shaping the blocks of stone into profiles for columns, arches, window surrounds and tracery around the Minster.

The department, which also trains apprentices, has been responsible for a number of restoration projects at the Minster in recent years.

Two years ago, the stonemasons spent 60 days and used three blocks of stone imported from France to carve an imposing figure of St Peter.

Archaeologists, historians, academics and clergy spent months researching the mysterious figure and its context before it was installed above the Great East Window.

Meanwhile, it has been announced the Minster will receive £100,000 from the First World War Centenary Repairs Fund to fix stonework and the roof of the Camera Cantorum, but this will not determine how many jobs are lost.