The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) are to provide £410 million for council transformational programmes including shared services.

Councils set receive funding include East Sussex, Maidstone and Plymouth, with the £410 million being divided into lots through 2013 to 2016.

The funding will be made available to shared social care, health and IT services designed to transform public services.

Eric Pickles, Communities and Local Government Secretary, said: "This £410 million funding package will help to fundamentally change the way local public services are delivered to residents.”

“This funding will help councils to transform their services faster and provide a better deal for the taxpayer too.”

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