The BBC is to axe 75 more posts in news and the English regions in the latest round of cuts as part of its £700m Delivering Quality First cost savings initiative.

James Harding, the new BBC director of news and current affairs, announced the redundancies on Thursday in a move he conceded would "add to uncertainty after what has been a trying year".

In a memo to staff, Harding said: "I also appreciate the concern that cost savings come at a time that so many people are working hard to make the most of new technologies and striving to deliver the best journalism in the world. The reality is that we have to live within the terms of the licence fee settlement, requiring us to deliver more for less."

The 75 post closures are part of the BBC's DQF cost-cutting plans outlined in 2011, which are attempting to save £700m across the corporation and shrink BBC News headcount by 600 staff by the financial year 2016/17.

The latest job losses are expected to save £11m from the BBC News and English regions budget, which has committed to saving £60m a year – the equivalent of 13% of its annual spend.

Thursday's announcement is likely to spark a fresh row with the broadcasting unions, the National Union of Journalists and Bectu, which have fought a running battle with the corporation over job cuts since 2011.

Harding said in his memo that he was determined to avoid compulsory redundancies but "we cannot guarantee that will always be possible".

He added: "These are demanding times for everyone working in news, both in the BBC and beyond. UK licence fee payers provide us with £650m to deliver the best service in news locally, nationally and internationally. BBC News and Current Affairs employs more than 8,000 people and we do – and must – strive to deliver the best possible value for money.

"I believe that BBC News provides outstanding value for money to licence fee payers. I also believe that the public measures the value of what we do not simply in financial terms, but in the quality of our work. I hope you share my pride in what we put on screen and on air and, based on the quality of our output, my confidence that BBC News will continue to command the trust and respect of our audiences."

In an email to staff, the BBC said it had been able to reduce costs by making redundant a person responsible for booking guests for the BBC News channel since completing the move to New Broadcasting House, its new headquarters in central London, in March.

The NUJ general secretary, Michelle Stanistreet, responded to the announcement by attacking the "shabby, behind-closed-doors deal with the government" forged by former BBC director general Mark Thompson in 2010.

"His decision to agree to freeze the licence fee until 2017 and take on an extra £340m in new financial responsibilities, such as the World Service and the provision of fast broadband, has proved a disaster for the corporation," said Stanistreet.

"Last week we watched Thompson and members of the BBC Trust defending £1m payoffs to former executives, this week we hear hard-working journalists committed to the BBC and public service broadcasting are to be shown the door."

The latest job cuts follow plans announced last March to close 140 BBC News posts, which squeezed programmes including Radio 4's In Business and Law in Action.

Radio 5 Live's late-night Phil Williams show will be affected by the post closures announced on Thursday, with management ending dedicated presentation of business news on the programme.

BBC journalists were told that 17.5 newsgathering jobs will be closed within the next year, including the Moscow bureau editor post and one senior management post.

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