Title

PARTNERSHIPS

Newcastle to transfer 200 council workers to Northumberland under merger plans

Newcastle City Council has approved plans to transfer staff to Northumberland Council as part of plans to share transactional services.

Newcastle City Council has approved plans to transfer staff to Northumberland Council as part of plans to share transactional services.

The move, which will create a single workforce of more than 400, is expected to save nearly £1.8m for both councils over the next three years.

Newcastle has approved the business case for the merger and will now start a formal consultation with staff affected.

Cabinet member for resources at Newcastle, Cllr Veronica Dunn, said: ‘Newcastle has a proud record of finding innovative ways of doing more with less.

'Coming together with our neighbours in Northumberland will, I believe, deliver savings that can be reinvested back into sustaining vital public services that people depend upon.'

Northumberland's cabinet member for corporate services, Cllr Nick Oliver, added: ‘By exploring opportunities to provide joint financial services, this will help us to look at ways we can continue to achieve high quality frontline services in a cost-effective and more efficient way.'

The new service is expected to be up and running by April.

PARTNERSHIPS

Ensuring Wigan has a big role to play in a digital future

By Cllr Nazia Rehman | 24 March 2026

Wigan is harnessing the regenerative power of AI with positive implications for the local economy, says Cllr Nazia Rehman.

PARTNERSHIPS

Policing reform: Opportunities and challenges

By John Czul | 20 March 2026

Jon Czul says scrapping Police and Crime Commissioners will not, in itself, improve public safety, but that if the transition is handled carefully it could c...

PARTNERSHIPS

Counting the cost of rectifying exceptional financial support to councils

By David Blackman | 19 March 2026

The scale of the problems exceptional financial support is intended to tackle highlights the need for structural funding reform, say sector experts. David Bl...

PARTNERSHIPS

Culture not just compliance

By Hayley Titchner | 19 March 2026

The new Employment Rights Act is set to usher in fresh challenges for the sector which will necessitate behaviour change and a fresh culture if organisations...

Popular articles by Laura Sharman