PR250

For Immediate Release

20 September 2006

Great Yarmouth and Waveney Councils have recently agreed an innovative approach to the provision of legal services through working in partnership. A move they expect other small local authorities to emulate.

The Government is encouraging local authorities to consider new ways of providing their services. It hopes that this will achieve both cost savings and improved levels of service.

The two legal teams will in future work as one, providing a full range of legal services to both councils.

Benefits hoped to be gained from the partnership are:

• Greater specialism amongst staff

• Avoiding duplication of work

• Sharing of resources, such as legal books and subscriptions to periodicals

• Shared training, and

• Consequential cost savings to both Councils.

Similarly where legal input is required into new projects (such as the introduction of the new gambling legislation in 2007), just one lawyer can deal with the matter on behalf of both Councils.

Councillor Colin Law of Waveney District Council and Councillor Tony Smith of Great Yarmouth Borough Council explained: “We are confident that this legal service partnership will work to become more efficient, specialised and resilient, and in doing so it will provide an improved joint service at a reduced financial cost to both Councils.

“We think this is the way forward for smaller councils and we expect that others will follow in our footsteps.”

“It has got to make sense, combining two small legal teams at nearby authorities,” added Chris Skinner, Head of Member and Legal Services at Great Yarmouth.

“We will have more staff available to cover holidays, sickness and peaks of work; staff will be able to develop greater specialisms, ensuring a higher quality of service. There will also be more career opportunities; and we will avoid duplication of work which can occur at present when one issue affects the two councils.

“Waveney and Great Yarmouth Councils are increasingly involved in major regeneration projects,” explained Arthur Charvonia, Principal Service Manager of Legal Services at Waveney.

“These require legal teams with a greater strength in depth. This partnership provides the Councils with such a service, and should reduce the need and expense of obtaining external legal advice.

“With a larger team, and by being able to draw on the skills of more lawyers, we will be able to provide a full service in the future.”

For further information please contact

Chris Skinner
Head of Member and Legal Services
Great Yarmouth Borough Council
Tel:01493 846314

or

Arthur Charvonia
Principal Service Manager
Legal Services
Waveney
Tel:01502 523606.

Issued by:
Liz Dann
Press Officer
Great Yarmouth Borough Council
01493 846513