Leak reveals where Northumberland Council cuts will fall

Nov 23 2009 By Brian Daniel, The Journal

Coun Andrew Tebbutt, executive member for corporate resources, said: "Like the other councils in the region and across the whole of the country we are facing some unprecedented challenges.

"The financial situation in the UK means that local authorities must make savings and unfortunately these changes will have an impact on our services.

"In Northumberland we have to make savings of up to £30m next year and that means taking some really difficult decisions.

"The options contained in this report will help us develop a budget that is committed to making savings while continuing to provide quality services for residents and keeping council tax down."

Other proposed cuts include a reduction of £90,000 in the highways maintenance budget and £60,000 by cutting salting routes.

Savings of £200,000 are forecast by "optimising" waste collection routes and £60,000 by reducing the council’s subsidy to public transport.

The authority also plans to save £100,000 on production of its controversial Northumberland News monthly magazine and to stop running a kerbside glass collection in Alnwick district and Castle Morpeth borough, saving £105,000.

The authority is seeking to stop providing a mobile skateboard park and to reduce hours at Hexhm’s Old Gaol.

In addition, charges could be increased on car parks at Northumberland’s country parks, burial fees would be increased in the south east and north of the county, and the council could charge for replacement bins and no longer provide subsidised compost bins.

Last night Coun Peter Jackson, leader of the council’s opposition Conservative group, said the authority had not listened to the results of public surveys, which indicate that people do not want cuts to services like adult and youth care, and highways.

He also queried why the budget proposes cuts of just under £16m when the council has been told it needs to make savings of £30m.

The final budget is to be agreed in February.