LINCOLNSHIRE County Council has hired lawyers from Eversheds to do the legal work for the privatisation of two of its departments.

The Nottingham office of the national firm will handle the "externalisation" of Translinc and Lincway.

Lincway, the council's road and grounds maintenance and construction division, has an annual turnover of £17 million. Translinc, which carries out vehicle maintenance and supplies vehicles to Lincway and to the fire service, has an annual turnover of £10 million.

Partner Stephen Matthew and his team of lawyers will help draw up the contract documents and the business sale agreements. He will also sit on the council officer group set up to handle the sale.

"This kind of work is still unusual and the fact that Lincway supplies vehicles to the fire service is an added complication," said Matthew.