Real Northumberland Murky: Rule No.1: Never lose money. Rule No.2: Never forget rule No.1. Where did Northumberland Conservatives Go Wrong?

Monday, 30 December 2024

Rule No.1: Never lose money. Rule No.2: Never forget rule No.1. Where did Northumberland Conservatives Go Wrong?

With recent news that Northumberland Conservatives, although charging residents of the county the highest Council Tax rates in England, have blown it all and their leader Councillor Glen Sanderson has told the public the huge business under his charge can no longer deliver basic services.

The fall out from his admission has been massive, so much so that his team was dragged through the dirt in the Friendly Port of Amble when he had shrubberies torn out to lower maintenance costs and promised to replace the shrubs with nice trees which take less looking after. A few short weeks ago he told AMBLER’s through the readership of the local newspaper the Ambler that the trees are unaffordable, deepening the fall out from his decision making.

His statements may have also weakened the case for additional Government help as he and his cohorts are split on his anti-government stance and his subjective declaration of independence naming it as a sovereign state. We codgers have noticed that the split is widening daily as older conservatives have come out against the Morpeth Farming Mob on planning and services issues.

The old conservatives among his ranks know that towns and villages across the County will die off in a very short period of time unless both affordable and social housing isn’t constructed in order that younger people can set up their lives near to where they were born and brought up, with school closures a real issue for the near future through the lack of children.

His responsibility for adult care is also placed in the spotlight as the other North East councils have come out to aid residents whose income is just above the pension credit threshold to fill the gap of winter fuel allowances for those in greatest need, leaving Northumberland residents asking what's happened to our money?

The current picture

1. Newcastle City Council - £200 post office vouchers for households on council tax support or housing benefit but who do not qualify for winter fuel allowance - those aged 80 will receive a further £100 in January
2. Sunderland City Council - payments of £200 or £300 (if 80 or over) to households who receive council tax support or housing benefit but not pension credit

3. North Tyneside Council - £200 voucher for those under 80 and on council tax support or housing benefit, but not pension credit and £300 for those over 80
4. Durham County Council - £150 post office voucher for a couple who get council tax reduction - £100 for those who are single
Gateshead Council - offering discretionary payments
5. South Tyneside Council - plans to launch a scheme next year for those who have missed out on pension credit this year
6. Northumberland County Council - is contacting residents who may be eligible for pension credit with no future plans to help anyone at all

During 2022 Northumberland County Council under the same conservative group stated that they would deliver the Inclusive Economy Agenda. They failed badly and have refused to acknowledge that people in need live in the same county as them, with Councillor and Civic Head Jeff Watson denying there was and is a problem.

The whole set of issues facing Northumberland residents has been brought about by severely poor money management by the Leader and his Cabinet who sat awash with usable reserves when they took over from Labour in May 2017.

Since then they have not achieved BEST VALUE and have as now sat at the bottom of the Telegraph League Table for service delivery on several occasions.