Keywords: shared services, public sector shared services, management, St Edmundsbury Borough Council, Forest Heath District Council, local authority, management positions

Suffolk authorities cut management positions as part of shared services agreement

Anna Bowsher | News | 8 August 2012

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Councillors have given the go-ahead to a management merger between two local authorities in Suffolk as part of a new shared services arrangement.

According to the Bury Free Press, seven management positions at St Edmundsbury Borough Council and Forest Heath District Council are to be cut as part of the move.

The two authorities are looking to share a number of services, and this new agreement will help to streamline the process.

At present there are 14 heads of service across the two public bodies, but this will be reduced to nine. Four director posts will also be replaced with two new roles.

The new management is due to form at the beginning of October and the savings from the move are expected to become apparent then.

Both authorities are looking to cut around £2.5 from their expenditure, and the shared approach could make a big contribution to this.

"Our staff at all levels whether they love it or not do understand this new change," Councillor John Griffiths, Lead of St Edmundsbury Borough Council, told the Bury Free Press.

"Every day they're facing the financial realities in delivering our services with fewer resources.

"The proposal will actually help them by streamlining the management, bringing teams closer together and making every penny count."

It comes as local authorities across the UK are looking to save money by sharing services.

Just last week six councils in London announced plans to implement shared services by the end of July 2013 in a bid to save £18m over four years.

Human resources, finance, payroll, pensions and procurement functions will all be aligned under the deal, which is expected to benefit a combined population of 1.6m people.

Worcestershire Country Council has also confirmed that it is teaming up with the neighbouring counties of Staffordshire and Shropshire in areas such as IT and fostering and adoption.