LOCAL Government Minister Phil Woolas today announced that Wiltshire County Council's plans for a super council for the county has been shortlisted.

The Wiltshire bid, which would see the county's current five councils replaced with just one new council, was among 16 nationwide that were picked to go through to the next round.

Now there will be a period of consultation before the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Ruth Kelly decides which bids will get her final stamp of approval in July.

The bid to change the way local government is run in Wiltshire was proposed by Wiltshire County Council and supported by North Wiltshire District Council earlier this year in response to an invitation from government. The application was opposed by West Wiltshire District Council.

If it succeeds, the district and county councils will be replaced by a new council by 2009.

That would mean a reduction from the current 244 district and county councillors to just 98 and cuts in top management with the current five chief executives and management teams reduced to one.

County council leader Jane Scott said replacing five councils with just one would make sound financial sense, reduce duplication and eliminate confusion among the public.

"We know there is a lot of confusion over which organisation provides which service - and people really deserve better than that.

"Having just one council would mean just one number to ring for queries about services, one set of councillors, one set of services rather than five, and one management team rather than five. It all makes perfect sense and we are delighted the bid for one council in Wiltshire has progressed to the next stage."

The financial figures together with the details of the bid will soon be examined by the Audit Commission, the government watchdog.

Independent accountants PriceWaterhouseCooper support the view that a new council could deliver the same or better services for £15 million less each year.

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