Minister’s super council claim is scorned

Dec 22 2008 by William Green and Dave Black, The Journal

A SENIOR Government minister was last night told to “get in the real world” after claiming new super councils in Northumberland and County Durham would help the region overcome the recession.

Local Government Minister John Healey said new unitary councils in the two counties would provide “more scope” to deal with economic pressures, as he began the 100-day countdown to the biggest town hall shake-up for decades.

His comments come in spite of fears that up to 800 posts could go in Northumberland alone as its district and county councils are swept away for an over-arching authority on April 1 next year. Last night Mr Healey came under fire from a Labour council leader, who said the new authority was proposing damaging service cuts, higher charges and massive job losses – but no real improvements.

Mr Healey told The Journal that local government was under financial pressure with growing demands and higher costs as tax collection rates fell.

“Being able to plan and set up a new council from scratch and do away with the duplication and crucially to do things differently, which can be both better and cheaper, these councils are finding they have got more scope to deal with the downturn than perhaps some of their colleagues.

“This isn’t a 24-hour makeover. This isn’t a new name and corporate logo. These are new councils and residents will and should expect to see services improve next year.

“And they should expect to see within two years, other councils across the country looking to their new council as a leading model of how local government should be.”

Last night Dave Stephens, the leader of Blyth Valley Council, blasted the minister’s remarks.

Coun Stephens said: “John Healey needs to get himself into the real world up here. This new council is not even looking to make any improvements in services; it is simply looking for cuts across all budget heads.

“Mr Healey’s claims are based on a blueprint which the leader of the new council has already admitted is not going to happen, and that is our concern in Blyth Valley. If the new council was going to improve services we would not be bothering Mr Healey, but the reality is that services will be badly hit in this part of Northumberland.

“I could sit down and weep at what they are proposing to do to the people of Blyth Valley and their council services. ”

Blyth Valley is seeking an urgent meeting with Mr Healey amid fears that the new Northumberland super council will fail to deliver on a raft of promises made to the Government.

Mr Healey said he would be happy to hear from local council leaders who have expressed concerns about whether the new Northumberland authority can deliver real improvements.

But he added: “Some people are not reconciled to change and Northumberland council is still, like the other councils, going through the detailed process of working out its new structure, its shape and its budget.

“And like for all councils, not just the new councils, there are difficult decisions in that, especially in the current budget. But streamlining as well as improving services was part of the original plans that Parliament gave the go-ahead to.”

The minister insisted there was no information Northumberland was “going seriously off-track”. He said the job of the council was to efficiently deliver services, adding: “Not to do that would be putting unnecessary cost on the council taxpayer.

“It is not the council’s job to offer some sort of sheltered employment scheme despite a period of economic downturn.”

Page 2: Government sets out new benefits >>