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Two shire districts are aiming to save almost £750,000 a year by agreeing plans to merge their top-tier management teams. South Oxfordshire DC and Vale of White Horse DC have announced they expect to jointly save £748,000 in annual salary costs by merging their top teams. Under outline plans, the two councils' chief executives, five directors and 14 heads of service, costing £2,043,000 a year, will become one chief executive, three directors and eight heads of service, costing £1,295,000 a year. The current split of costs is 54.5% to South Oxfordshire and £45.5% to Vale of White Horse. South Oxfordshire DC's chief executive, David Buckle, and the Vale of White Horse DC's chief executive, Terry Stock, will be interviewed by an independent panel, which will recommend one of them for the job of overseeing both councils. The merger plans are among a raft of recent decisions in two-tier areas to merge top management teams. However, the latest in Cumbria has run into political flak after Allerdale BC asked neighbouring Carlisle City Council for its chief executive, Maggie Mooney, to run Allerdale on an interim basis, following the departure of its chief executive, Gillian Bishop. Labour opposition councillor Michael Boaden at Conservative-run Carlisle City Council has condemned the plans, expressing shock that the idea was even being considered. But the leader of the council, Mike Mitchelson (Con), accused Labour of ‘playing politics.'

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WHITEHALL

Merger to save £750k

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