Council revamp plan is off

Northamptonshire County Council has called off its plans for privatisation.

It means the end of months of uncertainty for council staff.

Privatisation would have meant handing over of some departments to a private company called HBS.

On Thursday council leader Mick Young said the council was now in a better financial position and could initiate change itself without the help of a private company.

'Much stronger'

"Two years ago the council needed a partner to achieve change.

"Today things are different. The senior management team and other parts of the council have been reinforced and are now very much stronger.

"The county council¿s financial position is better and it has much greater capacity to initiate change itself.

"Financing rules have also changed such that the county council has more freedom to invest directly in information and communications technology.

"If the council were starting afresh in today¿s circumstances, partnership would remain one of the available options, but it is no longer the sole option that it was two years ago."

The process did come at a cost though.

The 18-months of negotiations have meant a bill of £1.2m for the council.