MORE jobs will be axed should plans for Malvern Hills District Council and Wychavon District Council to merge its housing services department be agreed.
If the proposals are given the green light, a joint team could save £80,000 a year between both authorities.
However the savings will be made by removing a management position and other vacant posts within both teams, it has been announced.
The proposals will be considered by councillors in Malvern Hills next week and Wychavon in February.
According to a joint statement from both councils, combining the housing service would allow savings to be made while increasing the service provided to residents.
Both housing teams provide a number of support services ranging from advice on finding accommodation, energy efficiency and issuing grants to helping disabled people make adaptations to their home.
They also work with people to prevent homelessness, with more than 2,000 households helped across the two areas in the past five years.
If approved, the new arrangement will come into force on April 1.
Homelessness prevention work will continue to be carried out in Malvern Hills District by Fortis Living, which has a contract to provide the service until 2018. Wychavon has its own staff responsible for homelessness prevention.
The proposal is similar to savings made already made by both councils through working together including a saving sum of £470,000 from sharing a chief executive/managing director and senior management team and £60,000 from a shared legal service.
Coun Melanie Baker, responsible for housing on Malvern Hills District Council, said: “Housing is one of the most important services we provide and this proposal will allow us to improve the service further but at a reduced cost to the council taxpayer.”
Coun Richard Morris, portfolio holder for economy and housing on Wychavon District Council, added: “We know how vital the work of the housing team is to the well-being of our residents. This arrangement will strengthen that work.”
The decision will be subject to approval by both councils in February.
