To wonder WTF has gone wrong at Northamptonshire County Council?

[KenAdams]

Lack of funding or poor management?

Anyone? Other councils are also beginning to report low reserves.

Poor property decisions amongst other things - I've seen Angel Square and apparently not being able to sell on Buckton Fields housing development as planned highlighted as problems. Though there have been allegations of poor management for years.

I have been in the middle of this for months campaigning against cuts...

Basically yes the council is awful and has made some really stupid decisions.

The government is also underfunding every council in the entire country just about. They've had a 50% cut in funding from central government at the same time as increased costs of care plans etc from our ageing population.

It's a perfect storm that has sent NCC over the edge first but it's very possible other councils will follow. Loads of them are selling assets to make ends meet which can't mast forever.

Today's report from government inspectors is really shocking in terms of the number of cuts central government think NCC should have pushed through. They also came out with this cracker about the 'unrealistic' aims of NCC children social care dept (ie kids in care, and kids with special needs that have social workers)

This is the full government report if anyone wants to read it (it's 52 pages!) www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/690571/Best_Value_Inspection_NCC.pdf

I don't really understand it all (and I wish I did!) What does it actually mean in terms of services we are offered? I know libraries are closing.

Lots of buses will go, 21 libraries will close (leaving 15), road repair is going to be at below legal levels, most gritting will go, trading standards will be cut in half...

The government's idea of fixing the situation is to rearrange the entire county from having one County council (which covers stuff like elderly and child social care, libraries etc) and the 8 smaller district councils which cover stuff like bins and leisure services and rearranging them all into just two councils. One will cover the North and East and the other the South and West parts of the county. Obviously that will mean a lot less councillors, and a lot of staff losing their jobs I imagine.

But it also means the government is basically saying tough shit to the people of Northamptonshire. They aren't going to give us any money to prop up services while the change to unitary councils, so at least two years of massive council tax hikes and fuck all services.

I am really angry at the government today. It's not the council staff or the people who live here's fault that this has happened and we deserve the basic services other areas get, not to be twice punished financially while the councillors and politicians involved just have to suffer bad press...

Surely they replace the top people and get new budgets sorted? Don’t understand why need spend what millions on new buildings new logos new this and that. To rebrand it, surely it’s very few people who have power to overspend and get away with it. If the money’s not there you have to stay in budget?

They have huge debts so there isn't that much money to play with. The merging with district councils will really mean that districts councils that have been run well and are financially solid will be forced to share their assets with a failing council.

Obviously they're not happy about that.

It's quite worrying as there will be less councillors and local elections will decide who gets to be in charge of these new authorities. It would probably be better if most of them came from the district councils that are doing well, but in local elections most people voting know very little about who the different candidates are. We could end up with the same terrible people in charge again!

"They have huge debts so there isn't that much money to play with. The merging with district councils will really mean that districts councils that have been run well and are financially solid will be forced to share their assets with a failing council."

I can't see that going down well. District and County Councils have different functions and will have been set up differently. It would be quite chaotic for a district council to try and make CC decisions that may be different to it's neighbours, having a wider impact on its residents. Term dates are one of the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Just had council tax form for the year arrive. Lots of increases and I know others in Northants will be feeling angry this morning. We have a library that is hanging on by the last thread and a huge (think 2 foot long, 6 inch deep and half a foot wide) pothole on the main road into town. Things are only going to get worse. I agree with others on the thread I'm fed up.

Sadly, this won't be the last. I work for an LA, the cuts from national government are crippling. Savings are being made but expectations of more and more savings to match increasing cuts, rise year on year. We had made savings through cuts to services but now are having to use all reserves. All services are important but we have gone beyond savings on libraries, ( IMO also vital when pressure is on to raise standards in education) we are now looking at cutting main vital services. In addition most schools also have a deficit.
Not really sure what happens next.

It is all about to implode.....but then that is what 'we' all voted for.

I'm under ne lincs and my council tax has doubled this year near enough

Doubled?! That's awful!

That's with the single occupancy rate and the reduction I get for being on carers, it's awful!

South Birmingham here. Whole council estates have been demolished for private developments that are building sites atm so my CT has gone up by just under £100.

Also work for a local authority and it is shocking.

The Tories have taken out huge swathes of funding to local councils and they’ve been ham strung. I remember a few years ago that the Tories suggested that councils used up their reserves to cope - which they’re running out of road on now.

The people to blame are central government as well as mismanagement in local authorities.

But the reality is that local authorities offer low rates of pay and its incredibly demoralising with little training so it’s no wonder things are bad.

This is an illuminating read on the pressures facing local government as a result of deliberate Conservative policy.

Ageing and growing population combined with non stop cutbacks

Stop voting Tory, folks. The decision to move to two unitaries will save a lot of money - two senior management teams instead of 11, same with all back room services. Two HQs instead of 11. By cutting fat, they'll have more to spend on frontline services.

I agree people need to seriously stop voting Tory

Should also be one unitary
Daft to have two

@Blue Labour stronghold here. Richard Burden has been in office for years. Tory Mayor.

It's a Tory government that's starving LAs of funds. We need them gone.

I live in a Tory area (MP and county and district councils) and there are so many people on local news sites who voted for them and are then surprised that potholes aren't filled, opening hours of tips are reduced or they're having to pay for recycling green waste as if it was nothing to do with their voting decisions (it's never about cutting services for vulnerable children or older people). So many people just seem completely ignorant as to how the system works (or doesn't).

Does no one remember Cameron's "big society" the aim to get local communities to take over local amenities like libraries and other 'public' services? It was a backdoor announcement that funding cuts would continue, services to the most vulnerable removed and if you want it...you have to do it for yourselves... I was a life longTory until that moment... never again.