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Councillors at two Suffolk town halls have approved ground-breaking plans to merge their local authorities into a single district by 2013. Members of Babergh DC voted on 28 September to initiate a merger with Mid Suffolk DC which would introduce a single local authority covering the whole of south and central Suffolk. Members of Mid Suffolk DC overwhelmingly backed the same proposals on 30 September, and residents of both areas will vote on the proposal in a referendum at next May's local elections. Members from both councils claimed this was the first time in the UK that two existing districts had agreed in principle to their own abolition and replacement with a new authority. Cllr Tim Passmore, leader of Mid Suffolk DC, said: ‘This presents us with a fantastic opportunity to break away from the past and embrace newer and better ways of engaging with, and meeting the needs of our local communities, and also the Government's localism agenda.' A key aim of the merger, Mr Passmore confirmed, would be to identify sizeable ‘workforce' savings that would help both areas continue to provide key services amid the threat of government budget cuts. Pressure is mounting on smaller councils to look at all options ahead of the spending cuts that will be passed down from central government. On the South Coast, meanwhile, a shared services agreement between West Dorset DC and Weymouth and Portland BC had already realised £500,000 of savings through reduced management costs, the two authorities revealed. Inspired by the early success of their shared services programme, the neighbouring authorities have now submitted to councillors detailed proposals to share a chief executive. As part of the councils' staff-sharing agreement – through which the two authorities hope to save around £8m over four years – nine senior posts have already been ‘frozen' and will not now be filled, saving £480,000 a year. Communities secretary, Eric Pickles, has called on councils to rethink executive posts. Cllr Robert Gould, leader of West Dorset DC, said: ‘The savings we've already made are a good start. The appointment of the new chief executive represents a very visible statement of our intentions.'

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WHITEHALL

Two rural districts plan 2013 merger

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