WEST Somerset Council could be sharing services and staff with neighbouring Taunton Deane Council in just two years' time after Deane councillors agreed to investigate a formal link-up between the two authorities.

West Somerset has been pinning its hopes on the two councils working on a joint business case to look at whether sufficient savings could be made by both authorities through the sharing of services and staff.

But the outcome of Monday night's Taunton Deane council meeting - the first time the issue had been discussed by the full council - was by no means certain and, in the end, there were just two votes in it.

While the ruling Conservatives on Taunton Deane were in favour of the plan, opposition councillors, led by Liberal Democrat Cllr Jefferson Horsley, were extremely sceptical about the arrangement.

In particular, they feared staff costs of up to £67,000 incurred during the process could fall on Taunton Deane taxpayers.

Many were also less than flattering about West Somerset and its financial predicament, referring to it as a "failing council" and describing the proposed business plan as a "Tory Trojan horse".

But council leader, Conservative Cllr John Williams, said any deal would come with the strict caveat that both authorities would remain democratically independent and a link-up would not be to the detriment of Taunton Deane taxpayers.

"If you have the opportunity to save money, why would you not want to look at it?

"It's a no brainer," Cllr Williams said.

He said it was highly likely the costs of the venture could be covered by Government funding through the newly announced £9 million Transformation Challenge Award fund.

The pot was created specifically to help local authorities save money through the sharing of resources.

"We are one of the front runners for shared services," Cllr Williams said.

He told the meeting that both Somerset County Council and Sedgemoor District Council had already offered to provide extra staff to help prepare the business case, while Mendip District Council was keen to find out more about sharing services.

But Liberal Democrat Cllr Ross Henley poured scorn on a suggestion that Taunton Deane could be in a similar financial situation to West Somerset in just a few years time if it did not try and save money now.

"I've been cynical about this from day one.

"West Somerset Council has been struggling for many years now.

"Why would Taunton Deane want to get into bed with West Somerset?" Cllr Henley said.

One Conservative also opposed the link-up: "I'm here to represent Taunton Deane, I am not here to represent West Somerset.

"Their distress is woefully exaggerated. All they have to do is cut their cloth," Tory Cllr Ian Morrell said.

Cllr Williams told members it was simply untrue to keep referring to West Somerset Council as "bust" and "insolvent" as the authority could still set a balanced budget for the next three years.

He said West Somerset would pick up more than its fair share of the costs involved in drawing up the plan and said the work would not involve Taunton Deane diverting substantial resources into West Somerset.

In a report to the committee, Taunton Deane's chief executive Penny James warned that doing nothing was not an option for the borough council due to continued Government funding cutbacks.

"In three to four years' time, TDBC will be in the same position as WSC if it does nothing.

"The funding environment is going to get more challenging - and more risky.

"If TDBC is able to minimise management costs and maximise service efficiencies through sharing service standards and/or resources to invest in our strategic ambitions and our own local priorities will be protected," Mrs James said.

She said there would be no "dowry" for West Somerset; the authority would be expected to pay its own way.

Cllr Horsley remained unconvinced: "Once you're down the path there is often no going back and to that extent this is a defining moment in the long-term future of Taunton Deane.

"This is a disaster waiting to happen. This is begging bowl diplomacy."

He said it was "demeaning" for Taunton Deane to have to have to ask central Government for money and said it should be down to Westminster to sort out West Somerset's problems, not other local authorities.

Cllr Williams criticised councillors for using the meeting to take a pop at the policies of central Government and said the aim of the business plan from Taunton Deane's point of view was wholly to save money.

"Without this, who knows what major cuts in our services we may have to inflict?

"But this is not about joining services or sharing management at this point in time.

"It is about a business plan. That is all we are asking councillors to do.

"If it does not produce results, it will not go forward," he said.

Independent Cllr Steve Ross voiced the fears of many of Taunton Deane's opposition councillors when he said things appeared to be moving too fast.

He suggested the council committed itself to drawing up a business plan but did no work on it until an application was made for Government funding to cover the anticipated costs.

"If we get the money, then we can go forward," Cllr Ross said.

But his amendment was lost, as was another put forward by Cllr Horsley for a more basic, outline business plan.

After more than two hours of debating, councillors eventually voted by 25 votes to 23 to support the principle of joint working and approved a detailed 'project mandate'.

However, the decision was subject to West Somerset agreeing to fully underwrite the £25,000 external costs of the scheme should an "immediate bid" for Government funding not be successful.

In turn, Taunton Deane agreed to underwrite its own internal staff costs up to a maximum of £67,000.

Both councils will now consider a joint management proposal in October, with a view to implement any recommendations in April 2014.

A "high level" business case for shared services would follow, with the aim to implement any link-up in April 2015.