Ronnie Campbell: Stop Northumberland council switch

Nov 3 2008 by William Green, The Journal

THE switch to a single council in Northumberland should be delayed to stop hundreds of job losses amid the recession, according to a Labour MP.

Blyth Valleys Ronnie Campbell warned now was not the time to lose jobs and has proposed a two-year delay to the new unitary authority, which is due to replace the existing district and county councils next year.

A Northumberland economic task force made up of the public and private sectors to draw up a recession-beating strategy should be set up, added Mr Campbell.

He said: If the changes to local government came at a time when, both locally and nationally, we were in a healthy economic climate, then the problems we face could be overcome.

However, the combination of the two means we are in a very dangerous position.

And I believe we have to review the whole position in respect of the local government review with a view to maximising opportunities which it brings to protect local economies.

Mr Campbell is now planning to present his proposals to the Prime Minister, local councils, other Northumberland MPs and the Governments North East office.

Ian Hinson, Liberal Democrat leader of Alnwick District Council, said he did not want to see jobs lost and branded the switch to a unitary council as a bad idea.

The problem is that the arrangements for the transition have gone so far that it will cause the whole thing to collapse into utter chaos, he added.

Peter Jackson, Tory leader of Castle Morpeth Council, expressed similar comments as he warned the reorganisation could result in between 800 and 1,500 job losses. He backed setting up an economic task force, adding it would get support from development agency One North East on whose board he sits.

Blyth Valley Council leader Dave Stephens warned of a double-whammy of council redundancies and a recession.

The idea of deferring the new unitary authority is not trying to stop it happening, that argument has been lost, but we have to employ common sense, said the Labour leader.

Peter Atkinson, Tory MP for Hexham, said it was too late to go back even if many people wanted different arrangements. It is not the right time to get rid of people, but it depends on the financial situation because the reality is that the new council will inherit from the county council, through no fault of its own, a vast debt.

It has got to be paid for through a reduction in jobs and services or a significant rise in council tax, but that is not going to be allowed by the Government, he said.

Ross Smith, head of policy at the North East Chamber of Commerce, backed bringing organisations together to work on economic development.

But Northumberland would be best served by continuing development of a unitary authority with any delay sparking damaging uncertainty, he added.

Jeff Reid, leader of Northumberland County Council, said the move to the new structure was far too down the road that the Labour Government imposed.

We cannot unpick what has been done. It would just be a complete nightmare, he added.

Mr Reid also said 800 staff had expressed interest in voluntary redundancy, but stressed the overall total was still up for debate.