Eighteen councils have won a share of a £6.9m government cashpot set up to support and promote shared service schemes across local government.

Winning entrants to the Transformation Challenge Award include bids to integrate health and social care services, shared finance and HR back office functions, the co-location of police and fire stations and the establishment of joint children's services.

Successful joints bidders include county councils such as Surrey and East Sussex, single unitary authorities such as Bath and North East Somerset and Swindon BC and  joint district initiatives – involving the likes of Babergh and Mid-Suffolk DCs and South Holland DC and Breckland Council.

When applications for the award were launched in June, local government minister, Brandon Lewis, told The MJ although the funding wasn't massive, the award was intended to make a statement about the sector's journey of travel.

Speaking today, Mr Lewis said the Spending Review announcement meant from 2015 there would be a £100m Transformation Fund to help even more councils establish shared services.

‘While councils have a vital role to play in tackling the inherited deficit, the government has always been clear councils should not close services,' Mr Lewis said.