Councils click into the future of planning
In town halls across the country, planning officers are racing to update their Local Plans — but this time, the process looks very different.
Scottish councils reject shared service proposal
11/04/2025 Three councils in Scotland have rejected a shared service proposal after concluding it would not offer ‘value for money'. |
Staffordshire councils to save £1.2m sharing services
09/12/2022 Councillors at two Staffordshire councils have approved plans that will see them share nearly all of their services. |
Eight councils in shared services talks
07/11/2022 Eight Essex councils covering one million people are in talks to share services in a bid to make savings. |
Councils look at shared leadership team
19/04/2022 Two district councils are expected to draw up plans for sharing a single leadership team. |
Three councils sign shared services agreement
21/03/2022 Basildon, Brentwood and Castle Point BC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore opportunities for partnership and collaborative working. |
Councils save over £1bn by sharing services, council chiefs say
26/06/2019 More than a billion pounds of taxpayers’ money has been saved by councils sharing services, the Local Government Association has calculated. |
|
Oxfordshire councils to extend joint working arrangements
16/04/2019 Two councils are considering extending their working partnership in a move they hope will trigger a ‘broader conversation’ on local government organisation. |
|
Councils to save £90,000 by sharing top staff
10/01/2019 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough councils have announced plans to share more of their top personnel in order to make efficiency savings. |
|
Councils save over £800m by sharing services
28/06/2018 Councils have saved £840m through shared service arrangements, new research has revealed today. |
|
Plymouth agrees to manage Torbay’s failing children’s services
31/01/2018 Plymouth City Council has agreed to take on full managerial responsibility for the ‘inadequate’ children’s services in Torbay. |
|
Newcastle to transfer 200 council workers to Northumberland under merger plans
16/01/2018 Newcastle City Council has approved plans to transfer staff to Northumberland County Council as part of plans to share transactional services. |
|
Devon councils consider sharing some planning functions
09/01/2018 Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council are considering joining forces to deliver planning services. |
|
Adoption of shared services ‘unstoppable’, ICT body says
27/11/2017 The trend for councils to join forces and share backroom services appears to be 'unstoppable' and will continue for the next decade, according to ICT managers. |
|
Council puts management restructure on hold
29/09/2017 South Ribble Borough Council was unable to agree management restructure plans expected to save £400,000 after the council leader insisted that they must ‘get it right’. |
|
Council to vote on shared services reform to save £400,000
26/09/2017 A proposed management re-structure at South Ribble Borough Council and an increase in the use of shared services could save the authority £400,000. |
|
The next steps for shared services
07/09/2017 Shared services growth is promising but councils must truly integrate to deliver major savings, argues Jason Laroche. |
|
Wheelie bins replaced by underground waste system
08/08/2017 The largest underground bin system in the UK has opened in Cambridge, enabling residents to put their waste down chutes outside their homes. |
|
Councils save over £600m by sharing services
29/06/2017 More than half a billion pounds of taxpayers’ money has been saved by councils sharing services, new research reveals. |
|
Kent councils pledge commitement to District Deal
16/06/2017 Two councils in Kent have pledged their commitment to formally working together, one year after they first signed the District Deal. |
|
Two districts look to merge planning teams
08/06/2017 Plans for a shared planning service between Cherwell and South Northamptonshire District Councils have taken one step closer. |
|
Leaders publish plans to create single West Suffolk council
09/05/2017 Council leaders have put forward ‘ambitious’ proposals to create a single council for West Suffolk in a move they hope will ‘drive prosperity’ in the region. |
|
Hammersmith & Fulham blamed for collapse of tri-borough arrangement
28/03/2017 Two members of the tri-borough have blamed Hammersmith & Fulham LBC after they ‘reluctantly decided’ to serve notice on ending the arrangement. |
|
Critical lessons from merging councils
10/03/2017 Laura Sharman reports on a recent webinar exploring how two councils in Australia managed large scale change effectively when they became a ‘super council’. |
|
Essex councils agree to explore new shared services
02/03/2017 Two Essex councils have agreed to explore further joint working and shared services. |
|
Call for closer working between Shropshire and Telford councils
27/02/2017 Plans by the opposition Conservative group in Telford & Wrekin to work more closely with Shropshire Council have been put forward. |
|
Free webinar on how to successfully merge councils
24/02/2017 This is your last chance to sign up to a free webinar exploring how councils can implement successful mergers and partnerships. |
|
Dorset implements cloud-based platform for environmental health services
20/02/2017 Dorset councils have carried out a shared procurement exercise for an environmental health system that they argue will improve customer service. |
|
The key to successful shared services
09/02/2017 Ivan Seselj explores what UK councils can learn from their Australian counterparts when it comes to implementing successful shared services and mergers. |
|
Three London councils set to share IT services
09/02/2017 The London Borough of Southwark is set to share IT services with two other London boroughs. |
|
Designing collaborative services at a time of great uncertainty
19/01/2017 Gary Pettengell explores how councils can break through traditional departmental barriers and erode the silo mentality of the past. |
|
Two London councils renew shared legal service
13/12/2016 Barnet and Harrow Councils have renewed their shared legal service contract for another five years. |
|
Two London councils to share a workforce
04/10/2016 Wandsworth and Richmond councils have launched new arrangements to share their workforce in a move they expect will save them £10m a year each. |
|
Three West Sussex councils unveil shared services plan
01/07/2016 Three district councils in West Sussex are exploring plans to share services in a bid to save £2m a year. |
|
Shared finance system to save councils millions
09/06/2016 Two London authorities have agreed to share a finance system in a move projected to save £6.8m. |
|
Shared services are now ‘standard practice’ for councils says LGA
02/06/2016 Shared services are ‘no longer just the realm of the most innovative councils’, according the the Local Government Association (LGA). |
|
Councils propose joint management to make savings
01/06/2016 Two councils on the south coast have announced plans to share senior management in a bid to make substantial savings. |
|
Council provides insurance service for neighbouring boroughs
13/04/2016 Sutton Council is providing insurance services to three of its neighbouring boroughs in a move that will save money. |
|
Strength in numbers
18/03/2016 Bt explains how their UNICORN solution is laying the foundations for much closer public service integration |
|
Analysis reveals potential of 'second generation' of shared services
19/02/2016 Councils have been urged to consider shared service arrangements with other public bodies, after analysis revealed this ‘second generation’ of shared services could achieve the biggest savings. |
|
Five councils sign 'ground breaking' outsourcing contracts
10/02/2016 Five councils from different parts of the country have agreed a ‘revolutionary’ procurement deal in a bid to save more than £50m over nine years. |
|
Councils unveil brand for new shared service
20/01/2016 Two local authorities in Lincolnshire have revealed the name of a new, shared back office service. |
|
Two councils agree to share waste services
16/11/2015 Two councils in Cambridgeshire are to share a waste management service in a bid to save up to £700,000. |
|
David Cameron involved in row with local council over cuts
12/11/2015 Prime minister David Cameron has come under fire after complaining about cuts to frontline services by his Conservative-run local council. |
|
Councils failing to adopt G-Cloud reveals survey
23/10/2015 Only 3% of councils are using G-Cloud – the government’s framework for procuring cloud-based services – according to the results of a new survey. |
|
County begins consultation on future of support services
15/10/2015 Dorset County Council has started its consultation on how support services such as HR, IT and legal should be delivered in the future. |
|
Councils plan joint management team
13/10/2015 A plan to create a single senior management team to run Malvern Hills and Wychavon District Councils could save both authorities £280,000. |
|
Cheshire councils take ICT services back in-house
08/10/2015 Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester councils have decided to take ICT, finance and HR services back in-house. |
|
London boroughs plan joint ICT service
03/09/2015 Two London boroughs have announced plans to launch a shared ICT services, under proposals to save £4m a year. |
|
Service integration alone not enough to protect budgets, councils told
02/07/2015 Council chiefs are 'deluded' if they think integration alone will meet the scale of the financial challenges facing adult social care, the Local Government Association conference has been told. |
|
County faces ‘new scale of challenge’ in finding £90m savings
29/06/2015 Up to £90m in savings could be required at East Sussex County Council over the next three years, a report to cabinet has indicated. |
|
New measures will force councils to merge adoption functions
26/05/2015 Councils could be forced to merge their adoption services if they fail to work together of their own accord. |
|
Worcestershire councils sign shared customer services deal
20/05/2015 Three Worcestershire councils have signed a deal with Civica to manage their customer contact centres, telephone and email services. |
|
Two South West councils sign joint working deal
18/05/2015 Gloucester City Council and Gloucestershire County Council have signed a new agreement to develop more joint working and shared services between the two authorities. |
|
Shared services save councils nearly £500m since 2012
11/05/2015 Councils have saved more than £100m through sharing services in the past year, according to new figures from the Local Government Association (LGA). |
|
Poll indicates widespread concern among council leaders over future services
27/03/2015 Only one in 10 council chiefs are confident their local authority can protect frontline services in the face of ongoing austerity, a poll reveals. |
|
Gloucester to join local authority legal service
27/03/2015 Gloucester City Council has announced it will be joining Tewkesbury and Cheltenham?s joint legal service. |
|
Two Essex councils agree to share revenue and benefits services
25/03/2015 Two councils in Essex have signed a five-year deal to share revenue and benefits services. |
|
Further streamlining ahead for local government workforce
19/03/2015 David Fagan and Jawaid Rehman suggest the future local government workforce will be an increasingly streamlined one. |
|
Two counties agree to share legal team
12/03/2015 Two county councils in the south east have agreed to merge their legal teams to create a single legal service. |
|
Councils to extend joint working in all service areas
02/03/2015 Cherwell District and South Northamptonshire Councils are to conduct a two-year review into extending joint working into all service areas. |
|
Maude backs public sector asset management company
17/02/2015 The UK’s first ever single asset management company for the public sector has been set up in the West Midlands. |
|
Union claims 25% of council jobs to be cut at Richmond
06/02/2015 Trade union GMB has claimed plans for a new shared staffing structure will see a quarter of jobs cut at Richmond Council by 2017. |
|
Shared chief chosen for tri-council partnership
03/02/2015 Matt Posser has been chosen as the new shared chief executive for the Dorset tri-council partnership. |
|
Councils agree staff merger, sparking job loss fears
26/01/2015 A union has warned that plans for two London councils to ‘merge’ could lead to ‘massive job losses’. |
|
School funding crisis
21/01/2015 Jenny Powell explores how to bridge the income gap for the education sector |
|
Partnership plan could save three councils £46m
19/12/2014 Plans for collaboration and a new organisation to deliver services could save three districts almost £46m over the next ten years. |
|
Labour proposes £500m CLG budget cutbacks
11/12/2014 Labour Party shadow ministers today announced proposals to drive further £500m back office and shared service efficiencies from local government. |
|
Single tier councils more at risk from 'financial tipping point'
05/12/2014 Around one in five single tier authorities, and 10% of district councils, are at risk of facing a financially tipping point by 2016, according to new analysis. |
|
Review to put council admin costs in the spotlight
24/11/2014 Public services minister, Leighton Andrews, has commissioned a review of administrative costs across all local authorities in Wales. |
|
Tri-council partnership in Dorset draws closer
03/11/2014 A potential tri-council partnership in Dorset has become more likely, with another town hall committing to measures that could save £6m every year. |
|
Review calls for tri-boroughs to have own chief executives
28/10/2014 The tri-borough should scrap its shared chief executive in order to deliver improvements to the joint working arrangement, an independent review has recommended. |
|
New joint CEO for Wychavon and Malvern Hills
20/10/2014 Two local authorities in Worcestershire have agreed to share a chief executive. |
|
Welsh council considers merger options
07/10/2014 Rhondda Cynon Taf is to investigate the pros and cons of merging with neighbouring authorities. |
|
Shared services: a new era of consistency in local government
25/09/2014 David Moody examines some of the challenges and opportunities facing councils looking to share IT services |
|
Tory condemns combined authority plans
23/09/2014 The creation of a combined authority for Nottinghamshire has been condemned as a ‘wacky and nonsense’ idea by a key opposition leader. |
|
Borough ready to scrap chief executive role
18/09/2014 A local authority is poised to scrap its chief executive post after deciding that sharing the role with another council would not be 'sensible'. |
|
Leader calls for single council in Cheshire
16/09/2014 The leader of Cheshire East Council has called for the abolishment of his own council in favour of a county council. |
|
Dorset councils consider tri-partnership
16/09/2014 Three councils in Dorset are considering joining forces under plans to save £6m by 2020. |
|
Winning councils named for £9m shared services fund
12/09/2014 A £9m Government fund has been divided between 80 councils to support joint service improvements, including three districts set to share a chief executive. |
|
Council merger would be ‘a step backwards’, argues town hall
05/09/2014 A council in South Wales has insisted it can ‘stand alone’ amid proposals to merge it with two other local authorities. |
|
Joint working on the cards as Rochdale looks to save £51m
01/09/2014 Rochdale is considering working jointly with other councils as it attempts to save £51m over the next two years. |
|
District and county agree office share
13/08/2014 South Somerset District Council is to share part of its central building with Somerset County Council in a bid to cut costs and drive joint working. |
|
One Public Estate
12/08/2014 The five 'golden rules' to guide successful participation in the shared assets scheme. |
|
Councils urged to share arts and culture services
24/07/2014 Councils should find alternative ways to sustain local arts and culture by co-operating with other town halls, a report claims. |
|
Kingston and Richmond to share services ‘wherever possible’
21/07/2014 Kingston and Richmond Councils are to share all services possible in a bid to save up to £8m each. |
|
Cambridge explores shared services programme
08/07/2014 Cambridge City Council is considering plans to share services with district councils in a bid to find savings and retain services. |
|
Dorset councils propose shared working
04/07/2014 Three Dorset councils are considering sharing a senior management team and developing joint services as part of a bid for transformation funding. |
|
A problem shared...
24/06/2014 Shared services are widely considered as a key strategy in generating savings for the UK public sector but there are still some barriers preventing their wider adoption at a local level. |
|
Shared services drive from East England councils
18/06/2014 Shared services should ‘be the way forward’ in the east of England if councils are to effectively face budget restrictions. |
|
The rise of alternative service delivery models
06/06/2014 How local government is driving innovationin new models of service delivery. |
|
Four councils set out plans for ‘most radical joint working’ in local government
28/05/2014 Four councils are proposing to launch a jointly-owned local authority company to transform the way they run services and save more than £55m over the next ten years. |
|
Districts explore joint chief executive role
15/05/2014 Discussions are underway at two Worcestershire district councils over plans to save £100,000 each year through a joint chief executive role. |
|
Shared services working in West Suffolk says peer review
08/05/2014 The shared service arrangement between Forest Heath District Council and St Edmundsbury Borough Council has put the two authorities in a better financial position that most, according to a peer review. |
|
Two councils agree £1.5m shared ICT deal
01/05/2014 South Hams District Council and West Devon Borough Council have signed a £1.5m deal to share ICT services. |
|
Shared services save councils £357m
28/04/2014 Shared services have saved the taxpayer more than £350m with 96% of councils involved in some kind of sharing, according to latest figures from the Local Government Association (LGA). |
|
Counties to develop shared services
11/04/2014 South Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire District councils are to set up a ‘strategic partnership’ that will see them sharing services across the two authorities. |
|
Two councils share management of environmental services
04/04/2014 Cherwell District Council and South Northamptonshire Council are now sharing environmental services, reducing the number of senior managers and saving £200,000 a year. |
|
NAO calls for clear reporting of shared services savings
02/04/2014 Government departments have been warned they must be able to demonstrate what savings have been achieved through the Next Generation shared services strategy, in a report published by auditors. |
|
Councils prioritising shared services to cut costs, survey finds
26/03/2014 The shift towards shared services is the most popular strategy for saving money, according to a survey of local government managers. |
|
Why councils need to 'get on' with shared services
07/03/2014 Shared services may be boring and difficult, but they are also politically essential for the future of local government. |
