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| Northamptonshire council meets to vote on huge cuts | Northamptonshire council meets to vote on huge cuts |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Massive cuts to jobs and services are expected to be approved by councillors in Northamptonshire later. | Massive cuts to jobs and services are expected to be approved by councillors in Northamptonshire later. |
| The county council, which is facing a funding shortfall of £70m, will discuss an action plan on Thursday that would see budgets for services slashed. | The county council, which is facing a funding shortfall of £70m, will discuss an action plan on Thursday that would see budgets for services slashed. |
| Children's services, road maintenance and waste management are among the areas in line for "radical" cuts. | Children's services, road maintenance and waste management are among the areas in line for "radical" cuts. |
| Other councils face similar issues, with East Sussex planning service cuts to a legal minimum "core offer". | Other councils face similar issues, with East Sussex planning service cuts to a legal minimum "core offer". |
| The government sent in commissioners to run Northamptonshire in April after the authority revealed a projected overspend of £21m for 2017-18. | The government sent in commissioners to run Northamptonshire in April after the authority revealed a projected overspend of £21m for 2017-18. |
| But the council's director of finance was forced to issue a second spending control order to stave off a projected budget shortfall of £60m-£70m this financial year. | But the council's director of finance was forced to issue a second spending control order to stave off a projected budget shortfall of £60m-£70m this financial year. |
| Northamptonshire's leader, Conservative Matt Golby, said balancing the county's books would require "some very difficult decisions" including "rigorous controls on spending, recruitment and contracts". | Northamptonshire's leader, Conservative Matt Golby, said balancing the county's books would require "some very difficult decisions" including "rigorous controls on spending, recruitment and contracts". |
| An unspecified number of redundancies are also expected to be proposed at Thursday's special council meeting. | An unspecified number of redundancies are also expected to be proposed at Thursday's special council meeting. |
| The threat to cut children's services led to a warning from Anne Longford, the children's commissioner for England. | The threat to cut children's services led to a warning from Anne Longford, the children's commissioner for England. |
| She said she feared the financial crisis at Northamptonshire County Council would have "catastrophic consequences" for some children. | She said she feared the financial crisis at Northamptonshire County Council would have "catastrophic consequences" for some children. |
| The Department for Education said it was working across government to ensure Northamptonshire met its legal duties to children. | The Department for Education said it was working across government to ensure Northamptonshire met its legal duties to children. |
| Research released by the County Council Network (CCN) in June suggested England's 36 shire authorities face funding pressures totalling £3.2bn over the next two years. | |
| Vulnerable children facing 'catastrophe' | |
| Commissioners take over troubled council | |
| Cash-strapped council to sell £53m HQ | |
| CCN chairman and Kent County Council leader Paul Carter said: "Shire counties face a triple whammy of funding reductions, rising demand for services and are the lowest-funded type of authority. | CCN chairman and Kent County Council leader Paul Carter said: "Shire counties face a triple whammy of funding reductions, rising demand for services and are the lowest-funded type of authority. |
| "Counties are shouldering a disproportionate burden and the elastic is close to breaking." | "Counties are shouldering a disproportionate burden and the elastic is close to breaking." |
| A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: "The financial challenges facing [Northamptonshire] council are clearly serious and reinforce how important it was that we took swift action to appoint commissioners. | A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: "The financial challenges facing [Northamptonshire] council are clearly serious and reinforce how important it was that we took swift action to appoint commissioners. |
| "These commissioners will continue to work closely with the council as it takes the necessary steps to rebalance its finances." | "These commissioners will continue to work closely with the council as it takes the necessary steps to rebalance its finances." |