THE leaders of three Somerset councils - including West Somerset - were summoned to a meeting with Government ministers on Wednesday amid speculation that a bid to share services and management between two of them could be widened.

West Somerset and Taunton Deane councils are due to decide within weeks whether to agree a formal link-up - a move which could make a combined saving for the two authorities of around £400,000 by next year, rising to £1.89 million a year thereafter.

But at this week's meeting in London with Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles and Local Government Minister Brandan Lewis, West Somerset leader Cllr Tim Taylor and Taunton Deane leader Cllr John Williams were joined by Cllr Duncan McGinty, leader of Sedgemoor District Council.

Somerset County Council leader Cllr John Osman was also invited but could not attend.

The presence of Cllr McGinty fuelled speculation that in the longer term, Sedgemoor could be expected to join the shared services and staff deal.

West Somerset and Taunton Deane's scrutiny committees were both due to debate the business case for their proposed partnership yesterday (Thursday), with a final decision being taken by both councils on November 12, when a new structure for joint senior management will also be considered.

After the London meeting, both Cllrs Taylor and Williams stressed that Government ministers had wanted reassurance about the robustness of their business case.

Cllr Williams added: "Ministers wanted reassurance as to local commitment to this ground-breaking project, which we gave.

"We also gave the assurance that we are fully prepared to take up the proposals in the business case to look ever wider and deeper for shared services that would bring even greater savings and benefits to participating councils in Somerset."

And Cllr Taylor said ministers had been reassured that the business case stacked up and would make savings for both councils.

"It will not provide the complete answer to the financial challenges we face but it will provide us with far greater resilience and increased capacity while helping to maintain important frontline services," he said.

However, leader of the Liberal Democrats and main opposition on Taunton Deane Cllr Jefferson Horsley said on Wednesday that he believed the three council leaders had been summoned to London to be told to merge.

"There is no financial future unless all three councils merge," he said.