Council’s leader appeals for shared services as cuts loom

Coun James Alexander is petitioning every council leader in the region to help lessen the impact of £10m in cuts which are due to be enforced during the next financial year.

The Yorkshire Post revealed last month that Coun Alexander is overseeing plans to forge links with other public sector organisations to share services. Sources have suggested there are opportunities in both transport and education, with a potential integrated transport network not only within York but also connecting it with neighbouring cities.

Coun Alexander confirmed talks are now under way with at least six other authorities, although he declined to disclose their identities, following the success of initial moves to share services.

A specialist fraud-busting firm, called Veritau, was launched in 2009 as a joint venture between the York authority and North Yorkshire County Council.

Payroll services are also being delivered by York Council for several other organisations and the authority is developing a commercial procurement hub with Calderdale Council.

Coun Alexander has confirmed he is looking to expand shared services in other areas, including fleet management.

“Shared services could help reduce cost to the York council taxpayer and blunt the depth of cuts required in the council due to Government funding cuts. In York we want to be smarter about how we operate.

“The criteria for sharing services with others will include the effect on quality, whether sharing actually delivers savings and where the jobs of shared services will be based. Where we have fantastic services we can take on board that of other councils. Where we have under-performing services we can ask other councils for their help.”

More and more local authorities are looking at closer integration to cope with cuts in government funding.

Craven, Harrogate and Selby councils approved plans last year to share resources, while Hambleton and Richmondshire councils have become among the first authorities nationally to merge all their services.

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