Two neighbouring councils will soon provide a joint Building Control Service hoping to save £100,000 a year.

From today Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council and Sevenoaks District Council will team up to provide a service for builders and developers to ensure construction works meet building regulations.

It will also provide free advice, applications for disabled adaptations and responding to reports of dangerous structures.

Both councils also secured a £97,000 grant from the Government to fund improvements to their existing IT systems.

The funds will pay for new online services so the joint team can accept applications outside of office hours in a bid to improve services to customers and residents.

Cllr Roddy Hogarth, Sevenoaks District Council’s cabinet member for building control said: “This latest partnership with Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council will not only provide a more robust, improved service for customers and residents, it will save local taxpayers £1 million over the next decade.”

Cllr Sue Murray, Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council’s cabinet member for planning and transportation, added: “We are constantly looking at ways to improve the quality of service we provide to local residents and businesses and by working with Sevenoaks District Council we will be able to offer an even better response to our customers.”