WEST Somerset Council is faced with having to stump up an extra £507,000 to pay for redundancies caused by the merger with Taunton Deane Borough Council, it was revealed this week.

The two authorities’ shadow scrutiny committee will be told on Monday that the redundancy costs of the transformation programme have exceeded the original budget of £3 million and now stand at £4.48 million.

Taunton Deane will also have to find £798,000 for unplanned redundancies in its direct labour workforce.

A report to the committee recommends that Taunton Deane pays £1.88 million as its share of the increased redundancy bill.

It is also being asked to find an £564,000 to maintain services during the transition period, with West Somerset being asked for £121,000.

In a report to the shadow scrutiny committee, chief executive Penny James said that the original estimate cost of each redundancy was £25,000 but this had risen to £34,000.

“We are unable to restrict who takes, or is made, redundant and there was always a risk that this cost would increase.”

The cost of direct labour workers’ redundancy was estimated at £798,000, and that could be recovered over 2.29 years by making an annual saving £348,000 by reducing the number of workers recruited by 13.

A council spokesman added that, although redundancy costs would exceed the original budget, this would be offset by extra savings in less than three years.

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