Charge payers given boost as councils team up to cut costs

HARD-pressed charge payers are to benefit from yesterday’s announcement that three North Yorkshire councils are starting to make savings from teaming up to cut costs.

Bosses of Craven, Harrogate and Selby Councils say they are now ready to deliver some of the first results of an agreement signed late last year to work together so each could get more for its money.

The partnership has been rewarded with a grant to develop a business case for shared services and all three authorities are now considering how to progress long-term arrangements to pool resources.

Harrogate Council Leader Mike Gardner said yesterday: “Some joint working has developed between the three councils over the past year.

“We are now looking to expand on that and look at discussing the potential for a broader range of services to be delivered jointly. We are already delivering Craven’s internal audit function.

“There is no doubt that councils will have to worker smarter in the future to make sure that efficiencies can be achieved whilst at the same time protecting frontline service delivery.”

Craven leader Chris Knowles-Fitton added: “Joint working with Harrogate and Selby councils is a natural place for Craven District Council to look for both financial and service benefits.”

A special Craven District Council Policy Committee tomorrow will consider the implications of the agreement, as well as an initial proposal to share IT services with Selby.

Selby leader Mark Crane stressed that faced with increasing financial pressures, continuing to operate in isolation was not an option. He said: “This agreement sets out the principles of how we could work more effectively together to help deliver more efficient and effective services for residents.

“Indeed, we’re already working closely with Craven District Council to deliver improvements to planning services and looking at sharing IT resources to minimise costs.

“With expected grant reductions of between 25 per cent and 40 per cent over the next four years, we need to be proactive to ensure we can reduce expenditure in a balanced and sustainable way.

“Although we’ll continue to individually look at how we operate, the concordat sets out a framework for future partnership working opportunities.”