COUNCILLORS have backed plans that will see a major shake-up of local government across South and West Dorset.

Staff from West Dorset District Council and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council will soon find themselves working together as the services from the two councils merge, saving taxpayers around £8.5 million a year.

It is the biggest shake up in local government in the area for 35 years.

The proposal to deliver shared services across both areas was given the green light by Weymouth and Portland councillors at a full council meeting on Thursday.

West Dorset District councillors gave the plans the go-ahead at a meeting on July 15.

But although the decision was made unanimously, some borough councillors expressed concerns about job cuts.

At the meeting, Coun Graham Winter, said he was ‘worried about what staff will be lost’ while Coun Margaret Leicester described employment as one of her ‘biggest concerns’.

Coun Kate Wheller said: “I have been told no Labour councillor should vote in favour of job cuts but in my view no Labour councillor should vote in favour of cuts to services.

“We all know cuts are inevitable.”

Coun Kevin Hodder said that consulting the staff needs to be a priority.

He said: “We need to engage with and consult the staff as early as possible.

“We will be taking a leap of faith and a step forward for the good benefit of the people in Weymouth and Portland and West Dorset.”

Councillors were told how the move, which has not been attempted anywhere else in country, would protect and improve services and save around £8.5million over the next five years.

There would be a single officer structure for both councils, including one chief executive and one management team instead of the current two.

Speaking at the meeting Geoff Petherick said he believed the move will give the council the opportunity for ‘improved quality of services’.

He added that the merge would mean savings of between ‘£1.4million and £3.9million’ for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council specifically.

Coun Ian Roebuck said: “I believe the benefits far outweigh the risks as long as we get it right.”

The joint workforce would deliver services to 162,000 residents and over 6,100 business as well as the millions of visitors to the areas government by West Dorset District Council and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.

A spokesman for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council said: “Both councils have experience of successfully working together, through their pioneering Revenues and Benefits Partnership, where they have improved services and saved £200,000 each year making a total saving of £1,000,000 since the partnership began.”