Joint Working Doesnt Necessarily Mean Joined Up Planning

Bob asked Jill (names made up) ‘what are you writing’

I’m writing a letter from Stratford on Avon District to another district saying we wont accept Brum overspill because of ‘constraints and so under the Duty to Cooperate they should.’

‘Ok who is it to?’

Oh to South Northants and Cherwell.

‘Thats to yourself, now we have a joint team?’

‘Yes’

‘So what will you write back to yourself.?

‘Oh I imagine cllrs will ask me to write back exactly the same letter’.

Bob went back to Building Control scratching his head, he wished he could be paid to write letters to himself all day.

Local Government Chronicle

Cherwell District and South Northamptonshire Councils are to conduct a two-year review into extending joint working into all service areas.

The agreement, which has already generated annual savings of £3.3m since 2011 for the two councils, is expected to pave the way for a confederation model in the future.

Cllr Mary Clarke, leader of South Northamptonshire Council, said: ‘If all goes to plan, we expect that over a ten year period, joint working could generate additional savings of £4m for South Northamptonshire and a further £8m for Cherwell. This helps to protect the front line services which matter most to our residents.’

The agreement originally included a three-way option with Stratford-on-Avon District Council, who later decided to postpone its decision until after May’s elections.

Cllr Barry Wood, leader of Cherwell District Council, said: ‘As Cherwell and South Northamptonshire already share some management and services an obvious option was to extend this approach across all areas and to open it up to Stratford as a neighbouring authority.’