IZZI Seccombe has held a number of roles since joining Warwickshire County Council in 2001 but none have been more important to her than that of leader – a position she took on following the departure of Alan Farnell in May 2013.
Speaking exclusively to Observer reporter Laura Maltby, she discusses the highs and lows of her first year, the difficulties of facing financial cuts and how she sees the future for the county’s residents.
“WARWICKSHIRE has got challenges but we know what those challenges are.” Coun Seccombe admits.
After announcing the authority needed to slash £92 million from its budget by 2018, both Warwickshire County Council and Coun Seccombe came under fire from people keen to know where, when and how the cuts would be made.
And although exact details are yet to be decided, as head of the council, she insists nothing is being protected.
The huge savings target comes as a direct result of reductions in Government grants, inflation and the rise in population.
But despite these challenges, Coun Seccombe is keen to stablilise the finances for the future and look to promote economic growth.
“As a minority-run administration it’s a huge positive that we’ve managed to get a four-year budget agreed. It means we have a framework around which to build the organisation.
“We still have an enormous national deficit and we have to manage that, but now we’ve got a plan in place – an absolute steering wheel of our direction – showing what we want to do.
“We are committed to making sure we’ve got businesses who want to visit Warwickshire, want to grow here and that young people can aspire to take on the jobs that are being created.”
And in spite of the criticism, she believes the council has done well to deal with the financial pressures of the past 12 months.
“We do go out and try and get every single bit of funding but our staff have really stepped up to the plate and delivered a lot of savings, which puts us in a more comfortable position to manage the transitions we’ve got to make over the next few years.
“They’re being very cautious and are only too aware of how profligate spending can draw you down a line from which it is very difficult to get back.
“The majority of our departments have come in with underspends and all 17 heads of services have tightened their financial management, which is a positive thing.”
Key to maintaining this long term, she believes, is ensuring the money available is not only used in the right way but also in the right areas.
“Previously, money was spent on universal services but we’ve got to be very targeted in the way we respond to people’s needs now, which means changing how the organisation works.
“It’s got to be very clear and evidence-based, looking where there is a need for services and then targeting and supporting those needs.”
And it is here that Coun Seccombe believes residents have a big part to play.
She maintains initiatives such as the Let’s Talk roadshow, which saw members of the public identify the services key to them, were critical in helping shape Warwickshire’s future.
“Communication is absolutely vital because although we have plans in place, it’s about gauging public perception and finding out what their priorities are.”
It is probably not surprising therefore, that the state of the county’s roads were a high priority for many.
She continued: “It goes without saying that there are challenges in every area – and there isn’t a protected area – because over that four-year period everyone will be required to make savings.
“The key thing though, is that it’s not an equal amount on every service and although we’ve got some difficult decisions to make, I’d like to think the public will help with that.”
One decision they are unlikely to have a say over though, is that of Warwickshire – currently working as a two-tier administration – becoming a unitary authority.
A long-time advocate, Coun Seccombe believes replacing the current network of county, district and borough councils with one single body to run all services could save millions of pounds.
But with the leaders of both Warwick district and Rugby borough council having publicly rejected the idea and Stratford district council leader saying only he was “open to persuasion”, is she facing an uphill battle?
“Ideally I’d want one council because I don’t think having two would make a big enough impact financially.
“Wiltshire has saved nearly £100 million in four years and their leader says if you’re doing it for the right reasons it’s the path you should go down and I believe that too.”
In addition to the money saving potential, Coun Seccombe maintains the unitary system would make it easier for residents.
“At the moment most people don’t know who does what – they just want to pick up the phone and get a response without being told: ‘Sorry it’s not us who deals with that.’
“Why do we need six planning or waste authorities when we could have an overarching strategic authority, which deals with the big issues and invest in delegations at a local level?
“Every part of the county has the same needs around the major issues such as adult social care, education, highways and planning.
“Things like grass cutting and signage – the more local issues – there’s no reason why you can’t have support mechanisms, which can help the wider authority while giving people the chance to be more proactive in their community.
“The reason I’m here is to futureproof the county for the next generation and I don’t want them to inherit a bad deal so if we can save money surely it is in the public interest to consider the merits of that?”
So what of that future for Warwickshire?
“I think local government has probably never felt more volatile and as such, there’s the potential for fragmentation. I don’t want that though and I’m doing everything I can to make sure the county council is acting as a magnet – pulling services together and making them more efficient.”
And when asked how she thought the authority could change in the next ten years, Coun Seccombe admitted it was difficult to predict.
“Will we be unitary? I think almost certainly. Whether we want it now or not, I think it will happen because central government will impose it, but the key thing is I’d rather design it and be in control.
“Will we be delivering all of the services or will we be delivering more? The jury’s still out on that one but I know we are working hard as a county serving the needs of our residents to the best of our ability with the budget we have available.
“Although we do have challenges, we have a design for the future – a positive future – and it feels an exciting place to be.
“Going forwards, we’re really keen to be a big influence not just locally but also nationally making sure that what Warwickshire says is something people want to sit up and listen to.”
Coun Seccombe discusses the future of Warwickshire. (s)
