Councils choose joint chief

4:10pm Friday 29th August 2008

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David Buckle will run both South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils in a merger of the authorities' management teams.

He will start his new job on September 17 after being chosen ahead of the only other candidate, the Vale's chief executive, Terry Stock.

The merger is expected to save the councils £750,000 a year. The number of senior officers will be cut from 21 to 12.

A panel of members of both councils has recommended Mr Buckle's appointment and both councils are expected to rubber stamp it on Monday.

Tony de Vere, leader of the Vale council said: "Both councils will remain independent of each other and retain their separate identities."

The councils already have joint finance services and next year will choose a single contractor for waste collection and street cleaning.