Council bids for devolution deal

A council is in discussions with a number of neighbouring local authorities over the possibility of joining forces to become a single unitary authority.

West Berkshire is talking to Berkshire's five other councils - Bracknell Forest, Reading, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Wokingham councils, as well as South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse in Oxfordshire, as part of a government shake-up of local government.

It said merged authorities could pool resources and provide a better service to residents.

West Berkshire Council's leader Jeff Brooks said: "In Berkshire we are no stranger to reorganisation, having seen the county council disbanded through local government reforms almost 30 years ago."

Mr Brooks continued: "We evolved successfully then to meet the challenges of the time and we shall do so again now - together with, and on behalf of, local people."

West Berkshire provides services to about 170,000 people but the government wants councils to be much bigger, covering a population of 500,000 instead.

The government also wants local authorities to provide it with initial proposals by 21 March, before handing over final plans by the end of November.

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