Northumberland council re-brand launched

Posted by The Journal on Nov 19, 08 04:53 PM in Councils

Changing the name of Northumberland's new unitary council would cost just ÃÂ£27,000, a leading councillor said today.

Consultation on what Northumberland's new council should be called opens tomorrow, and council chiefs have moved to quash rumours that it could cost up to ÃÂ£4m to re-brand the authority.

Coun Ian Tompkins, chairman of Northumberland County Council, said: "Shortly residents will be asked whether they think the new council should be called Northumberland County Council - the name of the existing County Council - or Northumberland Council.

"Unfortunately there are a number of fallacies circulating in the public domain so I'm keen that residents and other stakeholders are equipped to make informed choices about what the new council should be called.

"It is natural that in today's global financial climate people are worried about costs, and this is clearly an emotive issue. However I can reassure residents that reported claims that it will cost ÃÂ£4m to call the new authority Northumberland Council are absolute rubbish.

Officer advice is that the net cost of giving the new council a new name would actually be in the region of ÃÂ£27,000, out of a total revenue budget of ÃÂ£500m."

Questionnaires will be sent to 1,000 members of the county council's Citizen's panel and members of the general public will be able to comment via an online poll at www.northumberland.gov.uk.

The consultation will continue until December 4 and the result is expected to be discussed at a meeting of the full council on December 17.

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