WE have become used to Cheshire West and Chester Council claiming significant achievements long before they happen, if they ever do.

A year ago the council announced it was going to save millions of pounds by merging back office functions with Wirral Council. This proposal has been abandoned after wasting £800k of taxpayers’ money.

Now we have the latest proposal of a deal between the two councils in relation to a jointly-owned company providing school support services.

Developed by private consultants funded by a £100k government grant, CWAC claims this will deliver “higher quality, more innovative, tailor-made services for schools”. Once again, plenty of hype, but few specifics.

The proposal will save the councils nothing, as the services are fully paid for by schools or by charges, eg school meals.

The main workers affected by the latest proposal are hundreds of cleaners and school meals staff, part of that army of council workers paid well below the living wage. 

This brings numerous practical problems as Wirral staff enjoy a shorter working week, a different grading/job evaluation process.

No doubt a fortune will be spent trying to sort out these differences and on restructuring, legal, relocation and consultation costs.

Ray McHale Ellesmere Port