When the numbers don’t add up

When the numbers don’t add up In what other world do you pay more for something and get less? Well, that’s what’s happening in Northumberland. Your parish and town councils paid Northumberland County Council nearly £18,000 more for local and neighbourhood services in 2017/8 than they did the previous year (£1,115,095 in 17/18 compared with £1,097,195 in 16/17). That’s all well and good, you might say. We don’t mind paying more if we’re getting more. But you’re not. On 1 April 2017 there were 1,783 people working in local and neighbourhood services. On 1 April 2018, there were 1,626. So there’s 157 fewer people carrying out the work. These services include clearing up dog mess, emptying litter bins, extra grass cutting and planting. These people also take care of gritting and keeping our parks looking good. But there’s now 157 fewer of them to do the same work. Where have they gone? Nearly nine per cent of the workforce just disappeared as if by magic? How is it that Northumberland County Council can just remove these posts, charge the town and parish councils more and say they’re committed to making Northumberland a great place to live? It doesn’t add up. And neither do their numbers.