SECRET COUNCIL MEETING OVER CUTS

PUBLIC WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE BEFORE ONLY ITEM ON AGENDA DISCUSSED

AN extraordinary council meeting has been called to discuss staff cuts at the Town Hall – but it will be held in secret.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council will host the extraordinary meeting on Wednesday (March 21) and all councillors have been asked to attend.

The start of the meeting will be open to the public but they will be asked to leave when the only item on the agenda, ‘restructure of management team,’ is discussed.

The ruling Labour group at the Town Hall hinted that changes would be made at the crucial council tax setting meeting in February. In fact, at the end of the fivehour meeting, there was a ‘secret’ session on the restructure plans.

But there has been no public announcement since, nor is there likely to be before the extraordinary meeting.

What is known is that in the budget for 2018/19, there are £45,000 worth of savings attached to ‘restructure of the management team’ but exactly how this cash will be saved is unknown.

The Telegraph attempted to find out why the forthcoming meeting is being held in secret.

In a statement, Alan Franks, managing director of the council, said: “Faced with further cuts to our government grant and the need to find over £1m of savings, we have had to look carefully at our structures and processes to identify any opportunity to further reduce costs. Our management team arrangements have been reviewed as part of this process and we anticipate that a restructuring exercise will contribute to the savings required.

“The staff affected have been consulted in accordance with our normal procedures and proposals are being presented to council on 21 March 2018; discussions remain confidential as they relate to specific individuals.

“Council will be giving careful consideration to the proposals and any final decisions will be publicised in due course, in line with our standard procedures.”