Three London boroughs consider merging "every major service"
Three London boroughs are considering a cost-cutting merger of every major service they offer, a move which could see the creation of a so-called “super-council”.
The Conservative-led councils of Hammersmith & Fulham, Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea are setting up working groups to look at combining children’s services, environmental services, adult social care and corporate services.
The groups are expected to make their recommendations in February 2011. Councillors at the authorities will then consult with staff and partners.
In a statement released today, the leaders of the three councils said: “Ensuring we can provide a high standard of local services in today’s tough economic climate means thinking differently about how we operate…we need to seriously examine new ways of working including sharing service provision with other local authorities to deliver more for less.”
The three authorities will retain their political identities, with elected councillors and leaders. Some service areas, such as core democratic services, are unlikely to be merged.
However, the leaders – Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh of Hammersmith & Fulham, Cllr Colin Barrow of Westminster and Cllr Merrick Cockell of Kensington & Chelsea – said they “won’t rule anything out at this stage”.
They added: “Our plans may be the first of their kind, but sharing of services in this way can no longer be viewed as a radical concept. It will soon become the norm for local authorities looking for innovative ways to keep costs down while delivering high quality front line services.”
With promises to “squeeze every penny and every pound,” there are fears that cuts to front-line job cuts are inevitable. Critics have claimed that the plans could lead to significant damage to local provision and the quality of services.
Cllr Greenhalgh said the leaders would “do everything humanly possible to maintain the services we have”. But he warned that “nobody should be under any illusions about the difficulty of the challenge ahead”.
Following this week’s Comprehensive Spending Review, Hammersmith & Fulham has estimated that it will need to save a further £65m, on top of £55m saved over the last four years. This is expected to be partially funded by around 700 job cuts.
Ed Archer
