Eric Pickles says councils are 'living in the past'
Over the next few days, town halls across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire will be digesting the outcome of the local government grant settlement. This is the money councils will receive from Whitehall to provide services in 2011/12.
The Communities and Local Government Secretary, Eric Pickles, has warned councils to prepare for a "tough and challenging settlement". Following the recent spending review, most authorities are preparing for cuts of between 25% and 30% over the next four years.
Mr Pickles doesn't mince his words in an interview for this week's Politics Show in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
The straight-talking former Tory leader of Bradford Council warns our local authorities they should go much further in tightening their belts. He told me: "What I really want to see is the frontline protected. I want to see chief executives take a pay cut. I want to see top management merge with other councils. I want to see planning departments and legal departments merge.
Mr Pickles added: "I want to share back office services so we can protect the frontline. And I'm afraid that quite a lot of councils are living in the past".
Eric Pickles even praised the BBC as an organisation that had managed to cut down on duplication and was delivering a multi-skilled workforce.
So if you can excuse me at this point, I must break off and go and sweep the studio floor.
I'm Tim Iredale, the BBC's Political Editor in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and presenter of the regional Politics Show. This is strictly a "no-spin" zone where the political viewpoint is more Humber Bridge than Westminster Bridge. Your comments and observations are more than welcome. 
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