Big spending for the shake-up of councils

£780K ALREADY SPLASHED OUT - WITH MILLIONS TO GO

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

Council leaders. from top: Neghat Khan (Nottingham City); Mick Barton (County); Neil Clarke (Rushcliffe) and

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE'S councils have already spent £780,000 on a boundary shakeup that they have set aside millions for.

The biggest change to local authority boundaries for 50 years is intended to save taxpayers money - but the initial costs are mounting up.

One council has spent £100,000 on a consultation, while £414,000 has gone on consultants.

The Government's plans will mean that nine councils in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire will be scrapped in favour of two bigger ones - one covering an expanded Nottingham and the other the rest of the county.

First elections for the new authorities are due in May next year, with the councils becoming operational in 2028.