Community partnerships 'not fit for purpose'

REFORM UK councillors have called for Northumberland County Council’s regional community partnerships to be scrapped to “avoid duplication”.

- JAMES ROBINSON

The three partnerships cover the north, west and south east of the county and are the spiritual successors to the old district council system.

Originally known as local area councils, they were brought in almost a decade ago in recognition of the geographic size of Northumberland and the sparseness of its population. They were rebranded as community partnerships following the last election in May.

Reform brought a motion to full council calling for the partnerships to be abolished and the responsibilities passed to parish and town councils. It stated: “This would avoid duplication, reduce bureaucracy, improve efficiency, and place decisions with the most local and accountable level of government”