In the first of our 'feeding back series, we have a report from Nick Oliver, the cabinet member for Corporate Services at Northumberland County Council. His department involves communicating the work of the council with the general public.

'In May, voters in Northumberland placed their trust in Northumberland Conservatives to form a council administration. Our manifesto pledges chimed with residents in Northumberland and we will deliver on our promises.

I was honoured and more than a little surprised to have been asked to join the Northumberland County Council Cabinet in my first term as an elected representative. I am relishing the challenge. I am Cabinet Secretary and Corporate Services Portfolio holder which at the broadest level includes Finance, HR, Communications and some of the other services provided by the council such as Revenues and Benefits.

It also includes a few areas I could not have predicted – namely, the staff restaurant at County Hall and the Coroners Service. We are determined to take a “joined up” approach across all portfolios to providing council services to the residents of Northumberland and I believe that is why we have created the new role of Cabinet Secretary. Work has started on creating a new, ambitious and focused four year plan.

I’m highlighting here just some of the work in my areas from our first two months. A refurbishment programme for county hall is being drawn up that will incorporate modernisation of working practises and improved IT for staff. Staff and residents told us they did not want a new HQ in Ashington and we will be remaining in Morpeth. Northumberland County Council is a major employer in our county and a vibrant place to work. We want staff to feel they are listened to and have implemented a confidential Safecall programme so that everybody has a voice.

We are working hard to ensure residents council tax is spent wisely and in these first few months have agreed significant savings in future accountancy costs and in IT services. We are determined not to let the costs of servicing debt from unnecessary capital projects strangle services for future generations and so we will take a more business-like approach to these important decisions.  There will be much more to share as we move forward and although the situation we have inherited from the previous administration is challenging we remain optimistic there can be a better future for everybody living in our wonderful county.'