Millions cut and jobs at risk in council budget

COUNCIL tax payers in Northumberland can expect their bills to rise from April while more than £18.5m will be cut from service areas.

- JAMES ROBINSON Local democracy reporter [e-mail]

Bosses at the Conservative administration have said the Government's financial settlement for the county council was lower than even the worst-case scenario that had been planned for.

The Government has said it will provide more than £100m in additional funding for the council between 2024 and 2029.

However, that figure presumes a maximum increase in council tax every year, with local taxpayers making up 82.8% of the rise.

Speaking to The Journal, council leader Glen Sanderson said that while the Tories had increased council tax by the maximum level allowed each year since coming to power in 2017, this year’s budget has proved significantly challenging.

Coun Sanderson said: “We're going to make sure we continue with the things that matter - new schools, investment in our leisure centres and free town centre car parking.

“We will continue to invest in our parks and protect frontline services - people will not see a reduction.

“We began this budget a year ago. We took actions in investing ways to save.

“We have achieved the savings by being proactive over the last year, anticipating this settlement.

“We have invested in new adult social care facilities, we are investing in more care homes for children and in new software to ensure that all our transport arrangements are being done as best as we can.