You couldn't do that now. You cannot make a role redundant and then rehire just a few weeks later for the same position. There are of course ways around it upto a point, but it is difficault and you would be taken to the cleaners very, very easily.
Short term contracts don't work either anymore. If you have been with a company for more than 12 months, then no matter what the contract status, you have the same protection from unfair dismissal as anyone else.