Three tax offices in Southend and Basildon will close and nearly 300 jobs move into other buildings, under plans just announced.

Dencora Court, in Southend, housing 244 staff, and Kelting House and Regent House, in Basildon, where 49 people work, will shut under the proposals, announced as part of a consultation paper yesterday.

All 293 jobs would then be based at Alexander House and Portcullis House, in Victoria Avenue, Southend, by 2010, if the proposals go ahead.

The consultation paper, which has already been criticised by the Public Commercial Services Union, also confirms 344 jobs will need to go from the Southend area by 2010 under a plan to slash civil service jobs.

Union spokesman Darrell Binding said: "While the document purports to act as a consultation process, the decision has very clearly already been made and this exercise is designed to smooth over the arrangement that has been put in place.

"There is no mention of the employment of consultants, who are not included in staff figures, nor any guarantee that further downsizing will not occur after 2010."

The Echo recently revealed that some consultants were being paid up to £1,000 a day to work in the Southend offices.

Malcolm Buckley, chairman of Basildon Council, said he was disappointed to lose the jobs from Basildon's local economy.

But he added: "It must be taken in context.

"There is increasing confidence among private investors who want to come into Basildon."

A spokeswoman for Revenue and Customs said: "This is the start of a consultation period which will be a full and meaningful consultation involving all our staff.

"No decisions have been made, nor will they without this consultation."