Northamptonshire MPs hold '˜emergency meeting' with Secretary of State over county council crisis

All seven Northamptonshire MPs met Sajid Javid yesterday (Monday) to discuss a damning financial review of the county council.
Sajid Javid and council leader Heather Smith.Sajid Javid and council leader Heather Smith.
Sajid Javid and council leader Heather Smith.

The MPs held an emergency meeting with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, over the findings of the Local Government Associations’ (LGA) independent financial review of the council.

The seven Tories said the Secretary of State ‘was left in no doubt as to the deep anxiety expressed by them’ about the findings of the independent report, which confirmed their longstanding concerns about the ongoing viability of NCC. Findings from the report included that the “the council does not currently have robust and deliverable plans for its long-term financial sustainability”, “there is no medium term financial plan in place which will sustain the council beyond the end of the current financial year (2017/18)”, and “there is no financial strategy to deliver a sustainable position for the council”.

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The group – comprising of Peter Bone (Wellingborough), Philip Hollobone (Kettering), Tom Pursglove (Corby), Michael Ellis (Northampton North), Andrew Lewer (Northampton South), Chris Heaton-Harris (Daventry) and Andrea Leadsom (South Northamptonshire) – said Mr Javid listened carefully to their concerns during the 45-minute meeting.

He undertook to consult with senior departmental officials and it was agreed that a further meeting would be held shortly.

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