COUNCIL bosses in Bournemouth have welcomed plans to develop further joint working between themselves and Borough of Poole.

At a cabinet meeting this week members endorsed more shared working between the two authorities while agreeing plans to create joint tourism and library services in an attempt to save nearly £1million.

It comes as a decision from Communities Secretary Sajid Javid on merging Dorset councils was postponed on Thursday due to the Westminster terror attack.

The decision to create just two unitaries out of the nine Dorset councils could now be made next week, and if approved could see Bournemouth merge with Poole.

Speaking at the cabinet meeting last Wednesday, deputy leader Nicola Greene said this type of joint working set the "foundations and the tone" for what was to come.

She added: "We have been working very closely with our neighbours in Poole ahead of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

"But it is not in any of our natures to wait until things are done for us."

Cllr Anne Filer, cabinet member for corporate efficiency, re-iterated that this was just the beginning of the two councils working more closely together.

She added: "By 2019 there will be different arrangements in place and this is where we will set the foundation stones for that joint working in the future."

But she also stressed that joint working between the two authorities was one way of helping with the council's "financial woes".

The new joint library service is estimated to save both councils £566,000 by 2019/20.

Borough of Poole would be the lead authority for the service which would start next month.

Staff will transfer to Poole as the lead council - but the ownership of assets, books and library buildings will remain unchanged.

There will also be a new joint management team for tourism and seafront operations, with Bournemouth Borough Council acting as the lead authority.

The new team will be responsible for delivering seafront operations, marketing and events, destination development and strategy for both Bournemouth and Poole.

It follows a year-long review of the service to see how savings could be made and this recommendation is estimated to save the councils £247,000 by 2019/20.