Plans to save more money at councils

Two Staffordshire councils have put forward plans to share more services to save local taxpayers cash.

Stafford Borough Council and Cannock Chase District Council announced they were to share their technology, building control and revenue and benefits functions last year.

Now, both councils are pressing ahead with plans to combine more of their departments to help save money without reducing the service to residents and businesses.

A report on the plans is to go before the cabinets at both councils later this month.The report stresses that proposals would not go ahead "unless it leads to clear savings to both authorities or would demonstrate clear improvements in service – or both."

And more than £110,000 could be made available from a government agency to support the project.

The West Midlands Regional Improvements and Efficiencies Partnership has already agreed a grant of £40,000 and has indicated a further £78,000 could be available.

Under the new areas being considered for sharing are the Legal and Democratic services, which includes running elections, community safety and back office functions, such as payroll, training and internal audit.

Proposals to share services first came about after both authorities received low grants from the Government to run their services over the next few years.

This comes on top of the on-going economic climate which has had an impact on income for both councils.

Stafford Borough already shares a Health and Safety function with Lichfield and also runs Lichfield's payroll.

Cannock Council already operates an out-of-hours telephone service for Lichfield and Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.