Isn’t it interesting that our projected merger of many services with South Somerset failed at the first hurdle when South Somerset declined to share our CEO Mark Williams and, after a couple of years decided to ” buy him out” and manage without both him and merged services.
Let’s hope these two councils have better luck and get a CEO that suits them both.
… Last week also saw councillors at Taunton Deane back plans for a tie-up with West Somerset. Two other options had been considered: one team supporting two councils; and the two councils progressing their own transformation agendas.
Taunton Deane said a merged council “would generate significant savings, estimated at a conservative £3.1m a year”. It acknowledged that there would be costs involved to implement the merger but added that the payback was estimated at just over two years.
Taunton Deane and West Somerset have been working in partnership with a single officer team for the past three years.
Cllr John Williams, Leader of Taunton Deane, said: “The proposal for transformation is radical and will bring change on a scale not seen before for our communities, our customers, our staff and ourselves as members.
“The decision is important, and will ensure we can continue to invest in our growth ambitions, deliver services to our public, and importantly, help us take a huge step towards having a financially sustainable future.”
He warned that if West Somerset decided against supporting the merger, it would “inevitably trigger the third option with the councils taking separate routes to pursue their own agendas”.
Cllr Williams said the business case for a merger had been reviewed by Local Partnerships, the company jointly owned by HM Treasury and the Local Government Association, which “had found it realistic, deliverable and credible”.
If West Somerset approves the merger proposals next month, the councils will seek meetings with Government representatives in order to kick-start the process and the creation of a new authority.
The new council is likely to come into existence in 2019 when the next local government elections are due.
East Devon Watch 