Northampton sets out proposed action plan

Addressing Northamptonshire County Council’s severe financial crisis, the authority has revealed a proposed action plan outlining a series of measures concerning priority areas of spend.

The measures include a number of steps required to significantly reduce spending as part of the authority’s budget recovery plan, including: radical service reductions and efficiencies in areas across the council, the introduction of a strategic co-ordinating group to centralise decision-making in line with the council’s agreed spending priorities, and extended controls on spending, including approval for all spend over £1,000 and a new approval process for spending in adult and children’s services.

Concerning the service reductions, the council has pinpointed children’s services, adult services, road maintenance, waste management, staff redundant programme and property rationalisation as the areas expected to be worse affected.

Northamptonshire County Council maintains that £60 million to £70 million of savings will be required this financial year in order to achieve a balanced budget.

Matt Golby, council leader, said: “Unfortunately there are going to be some very difficult decisions ahead for Northamptonshire as we work hard to bring our spending under control while doing our very best to protect services for the most vulnerable in our communities.

“This action plan outlines the approach we are going to take, which includes rigorous controls on spending, recruitment and contracts. These decisions will be made based on the core spending priorities discussed by Full Council yesterday. These are incredibly challenging times for the council but I am committed to ensuring we deliver those core services within the money we have available.”