Plans have been unveiled to set up an all-party working group to progress a scheme to bring public services together in shared premises in Tendring.

The project is aimed at improving the quality of services whilst also reducing costs to the tax payer.

The initial objective is to complete an outline business case by June 2012 with Improvement East providing £150,000 towards the initiative.

Peter Halliday, Deputy Leader and Finance and Asset Cabinet Member for Tendring District Council (TDC), told a meeting of the Full Council tonight that there is excellent interest in the proposal.

He said that a workshop of potential partners was staged last week and the focus was on establishing what the key opportunities are for co-locating service delivery.

It also looked at what the barriers are which need to be overcome to make it work for local people.

"All of the organisations were asked to indicate their appetite for joining the project early, being kept informed with the possibility of joining later or not wishing to participate," he added.

"The outcome is that there is a strong commitment from Essex County Council (ECC), TDC and the health sector to work on the project straight away.

"The great majority of the other partners expressed their interest and wanted to be kept up to speed as work progresses and a number may wish to join at a later stage."

Cllr Halliday said that he is strongly committed to the scheme - which is also about regeneration and bringing better paid jobs into the District - involving a wide cross section of Members across the parties at TDC.

"I and my Cabinet colleagues now plan to set up a Portfolio Holder's working party to assist in overseeing this Council's part in the project," he said.

"Before deciding on the size or arrangements for the working party we would ask any Member who would like to be involved in it to let us know within the next week.

"We are keen for us to meet and discuss the project at this early and formative stage."

Cllr Peter Martin, Leader of Essex County Council said: "Essex County Council and Tendring District Council have a strong track record of working together.

"We are both committed to looking at how we can work even more closely together to improve services to our residents and also deliver savings and this project has the potential to deliver both of these through bringing public services together in a single place."

The workshop on January 27 was attended by representatives of 16 public service providers including TDC, ECC, local health organisations, the Department of Communities and Local Government, Essex Police, Essex Fire Service, and HM Revenues and Customs.

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