Thurrock Council joins forces with Barking and Dagenham to appoint shared head of legal services (From Thurrock Gazette)

Thurrock Council joins forces with Barking and Dagenham to appoint shared head of legal services

11:00am Wednesday 19th September 2012 in News

THURROCK Council is strengthening its ties with Barking and Dagenham council, with the two authorities appointing a new joint Head of Legal Services.

It was announced in June that Thurrock chief executive Graham Farrant would head-up both authorities on an interim basis.

This was followed last week by news that Fiona Taylor will be in charge of Legal and Democratic Services at both council’s, taking over from Tasnim Shawkat, who was already in the joint management role.

The council was in the process of sharing legal and democratic services before Mr Farrant was appointed as joint chief executive of the two authorities in June.

But this latest move indicates that council bosses are pleased with how the new shared resources arrangement is working in its first few months, with the authorities now looking at other ways of sharing services.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr Farrant said: “I very much look forward to working alongside Fiona and other senior colleagues as we begin the process of reviewing what other services can be shared between the two authorities.
 

“This new appointment will hopefully be one of the first of a number of joint roles as Barking and Dagenham and Thurrock move towards shared services where it is appropriate to do so.
 

“Not only will this help save costs and drive efficiencies at a time of unprecedented financial challenge, but we anticipate real improvements in service delivery thanks to what will become a relentless focus on the front-line in both authorities.”
 

Fiona was formerly the Group Manager for Legal Services at Barking and Dagenham.

She was appointed following a competitive process by a Member panel made up of councillors from both authorities.
 

Her formal appointment to the role is expected at the two councils’ respective full meetings on September 26 and October 10.