Following the alliance of High Peak Borough Council and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, the joint councils are looking at introducing working from home measures in a bid to cut down on travel costs.

A number of options are being investigated by the councils in order to reduce the huge travel bills that councillors and officers are clocking up travelling between the two council headquarters. It has been estimated that a massive £165,000 will be spent by the councils this year on travel costs alone. The councils wants to cut these costs and also reduce their carbon footprint.

The measures proposed include more working from home. Council staff may be kitted out with hi-tech equipment such as web-cams in order to facilitate this, and video telephone/conference facilities would be extended at the council offices.

There has been some opposition to the proposal, however. Opposition leader at the council, Linda Malyon, commented: “The strain of officers travelling between two authorities is beginning to show. If they are talking about video conferencing facilities and web cams where is that money coming from? I do not think it is feasible for council officers to work from home. They are paid to work at council offices and to be hands-on."

The councils are looking to save £1 million over a three year period and have said that they will keep tax rises to a minimum.