THE numbers of senior mangers at East Devon District Council could be slashed by up to 50 per cent in radical moves to save up to �2.13m.

THE numbers of senior mangers at East Devon District Council could be slashed by up to 50 per cent in radical moves to save up to �2.13m.

At the executive of East Devon District Council last night (after the paper went to press) councillors looked at sharing a chief executive with South Somerset District Council.

Currently EDDC have 52 senior mangers while SSDC has 43, making 95 posts, costing �5.4m annually.

Option one looks at a 'generous structure' of just 26 EDDC senior officers and 18 for SSDC with 30 to share.

This would save �1.22m a year, and would have one shared Chief Executive, four of six directors shared and six of eight heads of service shared.

The second 'lean' option would save �2.13m but would be even more radical - with the total numbers of senior officers cut from 95 to 57.

This would see a single CEO, two of three directors shared and five of seven heads of service shared.

The report, drawn up by EDDC Chief Executive Mark Williams said: "...the inevitability that the future financial environment will pose even grater challenges, adoption of the recommendations in the report will give the council the key to unlock and deliver saving through he sharing of mangers and teams.

"The result of which will give councillors an increased range of options in assessing how to respond to growing budget pressures."

Some Conservative councillors, however, have reservations over such close working with a Lib Dem-run authority in SSDC.