THE complex details behind a deal to create a formal link between West Somerset and Taunton Deane councils has been put under the spotlight by watchdog councillors.

The scrutiny committees of both authorities cast a long, hard and critical eye over plans to share services and staff in a bid to give both councils a more viable financial future.

In separate meetings last Thursday, councillors were taken through the business case for joint management and shared services, the creation of a shared workforce, the joint management structure and the inter-authority agreement for the proposed new structure.

And a raft of concerns were raised by members of both councils, who are forecast to make a combined saving of around £400,000 by next year, rising to £1.89 million a year thereafter.

However, West Somerset's annual share of the windfall will be the smaller - £307,000 compared to Taunton Deane's £1.58m, prompting West Somerset councillors to question the value of the project.

The link-up will also require a £2.7m one-off investment to cover the costs but is still on track to deliver savings without impacting on service provision.

Other issues raised by councillors in West Somerset ranged from the proposal to have one host employer for all staff - Taunton Deane - to the dangers of putting cost and affordability at the forefront of building the new staffing structure.

Unions have backed the proposal but whilst welcoming the move to become a 'living wage' authority, councillors said it should be recognised that the transfer of staff would not be a straightforward process.

The ability to extend joint working to other neighbouring councils, particularly Mendip and Sedgemoor district councils, the compatibility of ICT systems and the cost of further redundancies if the way services were delivered was transformed or changed in the future, was also discussed.

But one of the key concerns for councillors in West Somerset was how the new joint structure would handle the massive impact of the proposed new nuclear power station at Hinkley C.

They voiced disappointment that West Somerset's planning manager Andrew Goodchild, whose time has almost exclusively been focused on the development for more than two years, was not being given the opportunity to apply for an assistant director role in the new structure to allow him to take the lead on the project.

But new joint chief executive Penny James, who has created a 12-strong management structure for a budget of £825,000 - a 22 per cent saving on the existing 16 management posts within the two councils - explained that Mr Goodchild was not within the 'ring-fenced' tier of posts.

In order to achieve maximum savings on redundancy costs, existing post holders within the top three tiers will be 'slotted in' to the new posts where possible.

Mrs James said Mr Goodchild's current job was at tier four level in West Somerset's structure and her hands were tied.

Councillors highlighted the significant experience accumulated by Mr Goodchild with regard to the Hinkley Point project and the need for his talents and expertise to be retained and recognised.

And they said they believed it would be necessary to have an officer in post with "100 per cent" responsibility for Hinkley Point.

Asked for their views on the business case West Somerset leader Cllr Tim Taylor and Taunton Deane leader Cllr John Williams both reiterated that 'doing nothing' was not an option for either authority.

West Somerset is facing a budget shortfall of just over £79,000 in 2014/15, rising to £729,000 by 2016/17, while Taunton Deane's is £1.51m, rising to £4.50m over the same period.

Cllr Taylor said West Somerset had been on a long journey but with other savings, the link-up could see the authority removed from the Government's 'danger list' of councils at risk of failing.

"We have long known that from a West Somerset perspective, we cannot go it alone," he said.

Cllr Taylor said the "pay-back" for West Somerset would be longer but there could be savings to be made from the future transformation of services.

"We know we cannot continue as we are - not just financially but we are cracking at the seams in terms of resilience and expertise.

"With the new combined team, West Somerset will have greater resilience and a greater voice outside the district."

Cllr Taylor said it would be great if the partnership could be widened to include other councils in the future.

"But we have to take one step at a time," he warned.

And he stressed the link-up was not a case of West Somerset being taken over by Taunton Deane.

"This from the start has been an equal relationship," he said.

Cllr Williams re-enforced the view.

"We are not taking you over - you are as important serving your community as we are serving ours," he said.

"You are our partners and this is helping both of us."

Cllr Williams admitted that both councils faced huge challenges ahead.

"We have to change our method of working and we have to accept each other as partners to deliver excellent services."

Cllr Williams said the link-up would create one team serving both councils and the system put in place had to be fair and equitable.

"But I think we have the foundations and basis for a great relationship going forward."

At Taunton Deane's scrutiny committee, the majority of councillors also supported the idea of sharing management and services.

However, some members felt the proposals did not go far enough and should have looked at the possibility of merging the two authorities or sharing more widely with other councils - despite merger not being an option within the mandate previously agreed by both West Somerset and Taunton Deane.

Councillors were reminded that Mendip and Sedgemoor district councils and Somerset County Council all had a place on the project board, so wider service sharing would be explored fully in the future.

Other concerns focused on ICT costs and the risk of staff 'burn-out' through reduced numbers dealing with the workload.

Councillors also voiced disappointment about the recent unsuccessful bid for funding from the Government's Transformation Challenge pot, which could have helped cover the costs of the new shared working.

They were told a response from the Department for Communities and Local Government on the reasons why the bid failed was awaited.

But they were also reminded that the business case had been drawn up on the premise that no external funding would be received, so the failure to secure any cash did not affect the investment needed, the savings or the pay-back periods.

A final decision on the new partnership, which would see each authority retain its democratic independence, will be taken by members of both councils on November 12.