Harborough District Council considering collaboration with Melton authority

Harborough District Council is considering a ‘strategic collaboration’ with Melton Borough Council.

Earlier this year the authority agreed to look for a partner to work with strategically, which it said would have a number of benefits including shared chief executive and senior roles, working on jointly commissioned projects, reducing duplication and increase influence regionally.

The two authorities already work closely on initiatives and services including Lifeline monitoring – a personal alarm service for vulnerable and elderly people - out of hours support and parking enforcement.

Discussions are also in place about the potential to collaborate in other areas including waste and environment, regulatory services and CCTV monitoring.

A report setting out the intention to explore the opportunity will discussed at tonight’s (October 10) cabinet meeting and if approved a business case will be developed and discussed at a full council meeting in December.

The report reads: “The opportunity to collaborate on service delivery has the potential to increase resilience and reduce single points of failure, given the small teams both councils have in key areas such as health and safety, land charges, safeguarding, and equalities.

“Greater collaboration also has the potential to increase efficiency, cut costs, enable shared learning, improve effectiveness and enable job enrichment and progression, supporting recruitment and retention.”

Melton District Council is also discussing the report at a meeting this week.

Both councils have a similar number of members, with 34 in Harborough and 28 in Melton. They also have the same leader and cabinet governance system.