Councillors in Oswestry will be asked to discuss a letter from the heads of both Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and its Telford and Wrekin counterpart on plans to merge the organisations.

The CCGs have stated they need to implement a 20 per cent reduction in costs during this financial year as well as meeting key service priorities as part of the NHS long-term plan.

Both groups have agreed to form a new organisation, believing it would reduced costs and free up staff time and if agreed, the moved could be rubber-stamped in September and happen by April 1, 2020.

In the letter, the groups said: "While the proposed timescales are ambitious, we believe they are achievable.

"If a new organisation is not formed by April 1 2020, both CCGs will continue bring functions together.

"This will be done through an organisation change programme, as joint arrangements between two existing CCGs with a view to creating the new organisation on April 1, 2021.

"An organisational change programme will need to be carried out by both CCGs and work is currently being undertaken as to how this will be done.

"While we cannot guarantee there will be no redundancies, we will do everything we can to reduce the need where possible."

The item is last on a busy agenda at the Guild Hall, on the Bailey Head, with the meeting starting at 7pm.

The meeting will largely be an administrative agenda as councillors will be appointed to committees with the council as well as representatives to outside bodies.

There will be reports heard on Oswestry Health Group from February and March this year.

Meanwhile, there will be also be discussion on an application for for financial assistance from the large grant scheme received from Oswestry CultureFest.

The group, which aims to wider participation in the arts, has requested £700 from the town council.

There will be Future Oswestry Group updates.