RURAL councils are among 80 local authorities sharing £9m in government funding for reducing costs by joining up services.

The latest successful bidders to the government's Transformation Challenge Award were announced on Friday (12 September).

Local government minister Kris Hopkins said the £9m investment in service improvements would save more than £100m in the long-term.

Winning local authorities had predicted that their proposals will save more than £10 for every £1 of Transformation Challenge Award money invested.

The 33 winning bids bring together 80 local authorities through joint collaborative projects.

Winners include include earlier and more effective support for families and individuals in Norfolk by integrating health, social care and other services.

In Durham, a local authority initiative to reduce crime will see £500,000 to keep isolated and elderly residents safe in their homes.

The government has also awarded £600,000 for three Dorset districts planning to reduce council tax bills by sharing chief executives, management teams and back office services.

Winners were selected for funding because they have set out how they intend to improve services for residents at the same time as reducing the cost of those services.

Mr Hopkins said: "I am delighted to announce that 80 far-sighted authorities are being rewarded for focusing on the needs of council tax payers and the people who use their services.

"By joining forces with neighbouring councils and other organisations they are not only cutting costs but also making sure their residents get the very best service."

He added: "This is further proof that local government can deliver significant savings at the same time as making sure that public satisfaction with services improves."

More than half of the winning bids are focused on redesigning front line services so they provide a better deal for the people who use them.

Other proposals include improved access to training and employment, coordinated support for vulnerable members of the community and better weekly collection waste services.

A full list of Transformation Challenge Award recipients can be downloaded here.