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Adur DC and Worthing BC have become the first councils in the country to agree to merge both their workforces and share a chief executive. The West Sussex councils approved the plans at two separate council meetings last week. Adur chief executive, Ian Lowrie, who has been the interim top officer at Worthing since December 2005, will become the two local authorities' permanent chief executive from 1 September. The creation of a new joint workforce is expected to take three years and save the two councils around £500,000 a year. A new team of three strategic directors and 10 executive heads will be appointed to head up the new senior management team. All these appointments will be made before Christmas and will mean the loss of one director and seven senior managers between the two councils. ‘I am pleased that our council has agreed to sign up to partnership working with our neighbours,' said Worthing BC leader, Keith Mercer. ‘It's happening just in time, as the Government is continuing to load more duties and responsibilities on both of us, without giving us the right level of funding. We have to make this plan work.' And Adur DC leader, Neil Parkin added: ‘This way we protect our key services for the benefit of residents in Adur and Worthing. ‘Without taking this step, frontline services would have to be cut. I would emphasise that both councils are separate entities sharing one workforce.' Worthing BC's Liberal Democrat group leader, Bob Smytherman, said it was ‘a sad day for democracy in Worthing and Adur'. ‘All Lib Dem councillors voted to halt the process, to allow a full consultation with staff and the business community,' he explained.

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WHITEHALL

Districts merge under joint chief executive

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