Northumberland County council is moving forward with plans to study shared municipal services after most local municipalities rejected the idea of amalgamation.
During the April 16, 2025 meeting, councillors reviewed responses from all seven lower-tier municipalities to two proposed restructuring options: full amalgamation, or a more targeted review of shared service opportunities. According to county staff, six of the seven municipalities supported Option B-commissioning a third-party consultant to study specific services to find efficiencies, cost savings and enhanced benefits.
Services identified as priorities for review include financial systems, road operations, water and wastewater, and fire services. The need for new financial software is particularly urgent, as seven municipalities currently use a system that is being phased out.
CAOs from across the county agreed that streamlining processes and collaborating on service delivery could reduce future costs and improve service levels. “It’s unlikely we’d see job losses,” the report stated, noting ongoing staffing shortages and upcoming retirements.
Only two municipalities expressed interest in amalgamation, and just one asked to study the possibility of dissolving the county government. Council chose not to pursue either path.
Staff are expected to prepare a report outlining which studies can be conducted in-house and which would require external consultants.
Each study is estimated to cost around $150,000.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
