CONTENTIOUS plans to combine the senior management teams of Malvern Hills and Wychavon councils have been given the go-ahead.

Members of Malvern Hills District Council approved the merger at a meeting on Tuesday (October 20) while Wychavon councillors unanimously gave it the thumbs up on Wednesday (October 21).

Leaders say the move will save each council £140,000 a year for an initial cost of £110,000.

But critics are worried about the loss of staff and fear the process will ultimately end in the amalgamation of the two councils.

Conservative councillor Melanie Baker said at the Malvern Hills District Council meeting: “This approach will help us to protect frontline services - that is of paramount importance.

“We can achieve that by merging the senior management structure.

“For me it is a no-brainer because it will enable us to share resources that are duplicated.

“We are not losing anything and instead will be sharing costs.”

Other Malvern Hills District Council members were however less impressed with the policy.

Independent councillor Anthony Warburton refused to vote on the proposals, stating “I for one will play no part in it”.

He labelled the move as the “first step along the road to the demise of two independent councils” and claimed a senior management merger had been pre-determined when the council applied for a government grant to transform the way the two organisations operate.

Liberal Democrat councillor Tom Wells added: “I am supportive of the broad principle – we do not need and cannot afford this many senior managers.

“But we do not support redundancy pay-outs that go beyond the statutory minimum.”

There are currently nine senior managers in both councils overseeing a combined workforce of about 350 people.

This will be reduced to six by September 2016 following a transition period with seven.

It is hoped the changes can be made through voluntary redundancies.

The two councils have already saved £190,000 by sharing a chief executive, head of paid service, head of housing and planning and head of economic development – but further savings are need in light of central government funding cuts.