PLANS for closer working between the Forest Council and three other local authorities have been criticised by the Labour Party in the Dean.

The 2020 Vision for Joint Working was announced by the Forest Council along with Cheltenham, Cotswold and West Oxfordshire councils.

If it is adopted, services would be provided by a company owned by the four councils but the proposal has been criticised by both the Labour group on the Forest Council and by the party's General Election candidate in the Forest, Steve Parry-Hearn.

The leaders of the Conservative-led authorities say the new way of working could save more than £55 million over 10 years and each council would maintain its identity and control in its area.

Labour group leader Cllr Di Martin said they were not convinced of the need to establish a separate company while Mr Parry-Hearn said the move would lead to "inevitable" calls for the council to be abolished.

A statement from the Labour group said: "The Labour group is in favour of efficiency and in principle wants to protect the people we represent from higher council tax bills.

"We want to be fully engaged in scrutiny of the proposals. But we have concerns about the proposals and our primary focus will be on the following areas: "We must maintain the Forest of Dean District Council's (FoDDC) individual identity and local accountability.

"We would prefer that more work is done on joint local working with other local authorities in our area – county council/town and parish councils – on local issues.

"We believe that this would provide cost savings and improved services.

"We will seek assurances that FoDDC money is not used to subsidise other authorities and vice versa. "We will maintain and, if possible, improve the working conditions for staff.

"We are not convinced of the need to establish a separate company.

"We would prefer that the council steps up to become the champion for local communities and the district, and not merely a statutory provider of minimal local services provided by a separate company or organisation."

Steve Parry-Hearn said: "The councillors we elect in the Forest of Dean will lose control over every aspect of council functions. This plan will be disastrous for the delivery of local services and will lead to inevitable calls for the abolition of the council.

"The proposal boasts that it will mean "the creation of a new employment structure outside of the constraints of existing local government terms and conditions.

"This will be a kick in the teeth for council workers who have been doing more with less and who have seen their pay cut over the last few years."

Forest Council leader Cllr Patrick Molyneux (Con, Hewelsfield and Woolaston) said the councils were in the early stages of looking at the business case for the move.

He said: "If we do go with this model it will deliver savings and improve the resilience of the councils while maintaining local democracy.

"We already share some services with the other councils through GO shared services and that has been very successful."

The issue will also be raised in a motion at the full council tomorrow (Thursday) by Cllr Maria Edey (Ind, Coleford East).