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Basildon and Chelmsford councils plan services merger to save money (From Basildon Recorder)
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Basildon and Chelmsford councils plan services merger to save money
4:00am Friday 12th March 2010
Basildon Council hopes to save taxpayers’ money in the future by joining forces with a neighbouring authority.
Staff across Basildon Council have been sent an e-mail saying talks have been held with Chelmsford Council.
It is understood this could lead to mergers between waste collection, planning, environmental health, council tax collection and other services between both councils.
Malcolm Buckley, cabinet member for the environment, believes money can be saved and claimed there is currently a wasteful overlap of certain services.
For example, homes in several roads in Wickford, including Waverley Crescent and Downham Road, have rubbish collected by Basildon, while others rely on the Chelmsford authority.
He said: “It would make sense if there was greater co-operation between the two authorities in areas like this.
“We can’t go into too much detail about how sharing services will work, because the talks are at a very early stage and nothing has been agreed yet.”
Basildon’s opposition Labour group leader Lynda Gordon warned this could lead to job losses, but Mr Buckley denied the accusation.
Mrs Gordon said: “It is clear there are going to be job losses, otherwise where are you going to save the money?”
Mr Buckley responded: “This is just scaremongering by the Labour group.”
Both Basildon and Chelmsford councils are run by Tory administrations.
Roy Whitehead, leader of Chelmsford Council, said: “We are both fairly similar sized councils, and there are certain things we could share.
“This would be most likely to happen with services, such as council tax and business rate collection, but we will also be prepared to consider waste collection.
“We all know there are going to be cuts in Government funding to councils, and there will be job losses if we don’t make efficiency savings.
“saving money through sharing certain services could safeguard jobs.”
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Your Say Your Basildon
Colleen G, says...
7:03pm Thu 11 Mar 10
I can't recall the last time BDC actually did anything for it's heftly pound of flesh we all pay in to the robber barons coffers.
All they are doing is covering their tracks even more than when they hired the goofy scapegoats St Georges to cover services.....they're already untouchable, they don't need to confuse us any more. Crooks
Nebs, Westcliff-on-Sea says...
10:32pm Thu 11 Mar 10
Have one central body responsible for rubbish collection throughout the UK. Plenty of money saved from all the office jobs that would no longer be needed. The same firms are going to get the contracts year after year, so why pay people in local councils to send out a few contracts.
Ditto council tax collection - now there is something that could be run nationwide from one office.
Planning - pointless department really, as just about everything gets passed regardless of the impact on local residents. Just zone everything, and in a building zone let people build what they like, where they like, and in a green zone there will be no building no matter what.
VANGE LES, BASILDON says...
2:30pm Mon 15 Mar 10
They're still providing the same level of service to the same number of people - or is it just a cover-up to reduce the service level.
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evilc, essex says...
6:20pm Thu 11 Mar 10