Nottinghamshire County Council financial chief says unitary plan is now the only way forward

Over the last decade, Nottinghamshire County Council has have saved almost £300 million of taxpayers’ money by modernising the way it works.
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Unfortunately, nothing could have prepared it or any other council for the huge challenges posed by coronavirus.

It has responded, as you would expect, offering a wide range of practical and financial support to residents at very short notice, including through its Covid-19 Community Support Hub and Community Fund.

But the cost of delivering services to tackle this public health emergency leaves it with a serious budget problem.

Coun Richard Jackson, chairman of the finance and major contract management committee at Nottinghamshire County CouncilCoun Richard Jackson, chairman of the finance and major contract management committee at Nottinghamshire County Council
Coun Richard Jackson, chairman of the finance and major contract management committee at Nottinghamshire County Council

The Government has provided the council with an extra £42 million to help meet these unexpected costs.

However, we must remember that this money ultimately all comes out of the taxpayer’s and business ratepayer’s pockets.

Even after receiving emergency money from the Government, the council still faces a budget gap of £50 million over the next three years – of which £26 million will need to be found next year – and there are now very few options left for ‘easy’ or even ‘moderately difficult’ savings.

The cost of responding to coronavirus and keeping vital services unchanged would be equivalent to a council tax rise of 10 per cent.

Caught between this proverbial ‘rock and a hard place’, more politicians at local and national level are now, at last, taking a serious look at improving the structure of local government.

Two years ago, the county council published an outline business case demonstrating that at least £27 million each year could be saved by replacing the ridiculously bureaucratic structure of seven district councils and one county council with one unitary council for Nottinghamshire.

It is a sobering thought that £27 million is consumed by the local government ‘machine’ rather than reaching the Nottinghamshire residents who most need it.

As taxpayers, none of us should accept that situation.

The sooner Nottinghamshire has a single unitary council, the more able it will be to respond to a challenge like coronavirus and protect vital services.

It is time for change.

Coun Richard Jackson is chairman of the finance and major contracts management committee at Nottinghamshire County Council.