Not for them the single unitary; indeed prior to May their leader on several occasions denounced the new council as a 'disaster' in waiting.

My, how times have changed.

Now we hear 'we are where we are', or 'we can make it work'. Devolution of budgets and services to be run by communities. No, sorry that's not on the cards, we cannot afford it!

We now know the new council is to be forced to increase taxes, reduce services and shed jobs to service a £70m 'black hole' in their spending plans. Oh sorry! – we also hear the infamous words 'we are here to make the hard decisions'.

Hard on whom? Not the councillors on their new inflated allowances, nor the officers in their new jobs, but on the people who pay for it.

Education – great start – free transport for sixth formers in the rural areas of Northumberland.

And for south east Northumberland? Sorry you still have to have the academies that were forced on you – it would be unfair on Vardy to stop them.

The county have support for blue-tongue and the fishing industries.

And for south east Northumberland. Oh! You can have the garbage imported from the north east for your tip in Seghill, and for stability you can have it for the next 25 years.

Indeed instead of being a disaster in waiting we are now heading for a
catastrophe.

Fasten your seat belts, folks – you are in for a bumpy ride over the next five years!

COUNCILLOR BOB WATSON
Blyth Valley Borough Council
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