The launch of the new North Yorkshire Council could deliver between £30m and £70m of annual savings through streamlining the county’s essential services, the leader of the authority has said.
In August, the government proposed a devolution deal to see York and North Yorkshire’s eight councils replaced by a single organisation, the new North Yorkshire Council, in April 2023. The deal also promised to bring over £540m of investment to the area over 30 years.
Carl Les, North Yorkshire Council’s leader, suggested that merging the eight authorities would help prevent duplication of key services and create economies of scale. This could maximise North Yorkshire Council’s spending power in the first few years and could create between £30m and £70m of annual savings.
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This news comes as the authority currently faces a predicted shortfall of more than £30m in its budget for the next financial year.
Les said: “We are facing the greatest ever financial challenges in North Yorkshire, which means we have a huge task in ensuring that services can be delivered effectively and efficiently for the public.
“However, without the opportunities presented with the launch of the new council, the situation would be a great deal worse, and it is vital that we take full advantage of these opportunities.
“We have the chance to make millions of pounds in savings by reorganising the way services are delivered, meaning that we get the most out of every pound of taxpayers’ money in North Yorkshire.”
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