'Tough decisions' to be made in Hartlepool - but council should weather the storm financially, say auditors

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The verdict came from a representative from Mazars, a global audit and accounting group, who looked at the financial position Hartlepool faces going forward.

Gavin Barker, from Mazars, told the Hartlepool Borough Council Audit and Governance Committee the local authority faces a number of additional pressures and challenges due to issues such as Covid-19.

However he noted the council’s finances are ‘carefully and prudently managed’ and although difficult decisions will have to be taken, he is confident the local authority will manage the situation effectively.

Hartlepool Borough Council, like all local authorities, has been left with financial difficulties in light of the pandemic

Mr Barker said: “It is quite difficult to see how things are going to develop over the future, but we’re confident that the council has good arrangements in place and officers will manage their way through those difficulties as we go forward.

“I think the key thing for me is the finances of the council are very carefully and prudently managed, and there are difficult decisions to be taken and that may lead to difficult conversations between officers and members.

“Maybe when setting the council tax and things like that there are difficult decisions to be made but I’m not highlighting any concerns with your arrangements based on the work that we undertake.”

He said it comes as the local authority faces numerous challenges going forward, such as a lack of longer term funding plans from the Government.

Mr Barker added they will continue to monitor the financial situation the council faces and would bring up any issues if they arise.

He said: “There’s the challenges of Covid which inevitably impacts on the council and its communities.

“There’s the financial outlook which is also a very difficult one to assess, as the council doesn’t have clarity on medium term funding, its having to work on a year by year basis, and there are clearly additional pressures and challenges on the council from Covid and other things.

“If we did have concerns we would raise them because we do that in other places when the need arises, and that just isn’t the case in Hartlepool.”

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