RADICAL plans to balance the books which include cutting as many as 100 office-based jobs are being sweated over by West Devon Borough Council and South Hams District Councils.

The two authorities are planning jointly to lose 24% of desk staff and save money through using more technology.

Members of West Devon's resources committee agreed on Tuesday to authorise officers to complete the work necessary to create a detailed business plan for a decision by the full council on November 4.

Cllr Paul Ridgers said the 'transformation programme' was inventive and had to be supported out of necessity.

The council had to make savings and needed a more efficient way of working, he said.

The programme would not affect front-line services and it would give an annual saving of £3.5-million. The council would invest £4.7-million with a possible payback period of approximately two years.

While the savings are primarily generated by a reduction in workforce there may also be a requirement to rationalise office accommodation.

Options include relocating staff to one main base either in the South Hams or the West Devon offices at Kilworthy Park and retaining 'civic hubs' at the other locations.

Both councils are facing cuts in spending of 25% to 30% by 2018 to plug a budget gap of £2.3-million. They already share services, being some of the first authorities nationwide to do this.

West Devon mayor Bill Cann said all he had heard over the past three years was 'cuts, cuts and more cuts'.

'I do not come here to make sure the business runs on profit,' he said. 'I come here to get the best for the community I represent. All Mr Pickles is doing is screwing local government into the ground.'

Councillors agreed to send a letter to secretary of state for communities and local government Eric Pickles in strong support of the letter previously sent to him by leader of Devon County Council John Hart highlighting the stringent cuts the councils were being forced to make on their small budgets.

Members of the resources committee were told they had a legal duty to deliver a balanced budget and could not borrow money to plug a hole in the revenue. There was no plan B.

The council would apply to a £9-million pot of Government funding for the transformation programme but if forthcoming that would be a bonus, it was not depending on it.

Cllr Robert Oxborough said:?'If we don't support this we are ignoring the facts.

'My concern is that when we go along with anything Central Government wants us to do we get penalised. West Devon was one of the forerunners for shared services but we did not get any funding. Now councils are getting funded for it. What if the same thing happens again? There seems to be no appreciation of what we are doing.'