Northumberland Labour says the council’s response to the recommendations of the Independent Challenge Board was weak and did not have firm, bold or measurable actions to deliver the change the board identified as being needed and necessary.

The Independent Challenge Board is a group of. The review of the council’s corporate governance arrangements, led by Max Caller, suggested an Independent Challenge Board, made up of senior people from other local authorities, should be invited to take forward the recommendations of his review.

Leader Scott Dickinson said: “When Labour was in power in the county, we invited a similar group to come and look at our work.  It’s very helpful to experienced people from outside the council talking to people and taking an objective view of various aspects of the council’s work. At the end of a visit the group will tell you what they saw and make suggestions and, of course, the important thing is to act on them to make improvements, otherwise there’s no point in the exercise.

“What we have here is a council which was recommended to bring a group in, not inviting them in. They listened to what was observed but haven’t come up with anything to make the improvements to the council which the Caller review said were badly needed.

“It feels like there’s a bit of ‘we know better’ going on here, which really doesn’t help anyone, least of all the people of Northumberland who deserve a council which is constantly improving the way it runs itself in the interests of its residents.

“The Labour group will be working to ensure the council is working in a way which benefits the people who work for it and everyone who lives in the county.”