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Wellingborough backs Northamptonshire unitary council plan

BBC One Angel Square, Northamptonshire County Council HQBBC
Northamptonshire County Council has said said it must save up to £70m by March

A plan to replace eight councils with two unitary ones will be sent to the government this week after a second authority backed the plan.

Northamptonshire County Council voted to scrap itself on Tuesday before Wellingborough Borough Council followed suit to trigger the request to merge.

A government inspector recommended the move in light of Northamptonshire's financial crisis.

The remaining six councils will vote on the plan by Thursday evening.

The proposal was backed in Wellingborough by 26 votes, with one councillor choosing to abstain from voting.

Martin Griffiths, the leader of the Conservative Wellingborough council, told the meeting he was "slightly ashamed of what has happened to Northamptonshire, and I'm sure I'm not the only one".

He said: "The work starts Monday next week in reshaping the future and repairing the damage done."

Highlighting issues with the current model of local government in the county, he added: "I've been blamed for loaning money to the Cobblers [Northampton Town Football Club, who were given, and subsequently lost, a £10.25m loan from Northampton Borough Council to redevelop their stadium].

"People don't understand who provides what services."

Leader of the opposition Labour group Andrew Scarborough said: "This is a sad day. It [the council] has been run well by both parties.

"There have also been arguments, but it has always balanced it books. I will be deeply sad to see it go. But I'm afraid, go it must."

Protesters outside Northamptonshire County Council
Residents have protested against the proposed cuts at the county council

Max Caller, who led a government investigation into failings at Northamptonshire County Council, said one unitary authority would cover Daventry, Northampton and South Northamptonshire.

The other would oversee Corby, East Northamptonshire, Kettering and Wellingborough.

Six other councils in the county will still have similar meetings to vote on the proposals, but only two needed to back the plans in order for them to go before James Brokenshire, the minister responsible for local government.

The plans follow two notices banning all new spending at the county council amid a £70m shortfall.