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CULTURAL differences have been cited as the reason why Cotswold District Council scrapped a proposal to team-up with its Tewkesbury counterpart.

Tewkesbury Borough Council expressed disappointment with the Cotswold council's decision.

Cotswold District Council has shared the cost and time of its chief executive Bob Austin with Tewk-esbury council since the two authorities started working in partnership a year ago.

They joined forces to build on work done by the joint improvement board, which includes seven Gloucestershire councils and aims to improve efficiency while delivering quality services.

They commissioned a report from independent consultant Tribal to explore how they could take their partnership forward.

The report concluded that the two councils could save money, £400,000 annually in the Cotswold council's case, by adopting a shared senior management structure.

Both authorities intended spending six months investigating the report's recommendations, while examining alternative savings plans.

However, after further discussions, the Cotwold council's cabinet decided against pursuing the shared management option.

Cotswold District Council leader Cllr Lynden Stowe said: "We have learned a great deal about joint working from this arrangement and from commissioning the report.

"However, while we share similar financial challenges, it has become increasingly clear that the two councils are focusing on different outcomes in the longer term. There are differences in culture between the two councils - for example around our priorities and decision making - that have become more apparent as we have worked together on the finer details of the report's recommendations."

A spokesman for Tewkesbury Borough Council said: "We are naturally disappointed that Cotswold District Council does not consider it worthwhile to spend a further six months examining the possibility of shared management between the two authorities.

"This is especially disappointing in light of the recent commitment by TBC's executive committee to examine shared management in tandem with other alternative ways of making the necessary financial savings over the next few years."

Cotswold District Council has confirmed that it will continue to offer Mr Austin's services to Tewkesbury Borough Council, as interim chief executive, until a replacement is recruited.

12:04pm Thursday 1st May 2008

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