BASILDON Council has announced it will share services with Brentwood Council to improve efficiency and provide better value for money for tax payers.

From April, revenues and benefits services at the two local authorities will merge.

The initiative will run over five years, and is expected to produce significant savings which will be shared equally between the two council’s.

The savings will be achieved by joining revenues and benefits IT platforms, service modernisation and shared revenues and benefits management.

Phil Turner, leader of Basildon Council, said: “The services Basildon Council provides are first class and we want to be at the forefront of sharing that good practice with others to the benefit of our tax payers.

“Shared service is not about cutting staff, it is about creating the right structures to be future proof and flexible to meet the shared services opportunities and changing financial picture.

“This partnership demonstrates how we are managing our business and the stewardship of our well managed finances. Revenues and benefits is the start of things to come with the shared service agenda.”

Barry Aspinell, leader of Brentwood Council, added: “We welcome sharing services with other authorities where the real benefit is for our residents. By entering into this partnership with Basildon, the council will save money but will be improving the service for residents at the same time. I can also reassure our staff and residents that they won’t have to travel to Basildon, we are still two separate councils providing one seamless service.”

Other initiatives such as joint council tax and business rates fraud compliance will support and protect the taxpayers of Basildon and Brentwood.

Both councils will retain their identities, there is no plan at this stage to move staff around and the council’s will continue to work across the two offices.