Reform councillor calls for less debt

A REFORM councillor has urged Northumberland County Council to rein in borrowing plans, claiming the current debt levels are “unsustainable.”

- JAMES ROBINSON Local Democracy Reporter

> Reform UK leader Nigel Farage

Total external borrowing at the council is forecast to reach just under £1bn at the end of the financial year, up from £880.9m in November.

The Conservative-led council borrows to fund the capital programme, including loans to third parties such as its development company Advance.

Leading Tory councillors insist the council is in a good financial position and is well within its borrowing limits.

But speaking at Wednesday's meeting of the council’s audit committee, Reform councillor Denise Nicholson raised concerns about the ongoing use of borrowing to fund capital projects.

She said: “At what point does the reliance on the borrowing become unsustainable? I’m not seeing that within the reports.