By Dan Jones LJI
Northumberland 89.7 FM
A dramatic shift in how Cobourg uses its tax dollars and what services it provides could soon be implemented through a community-led budget task force, formed by Mayor Lucas Cleveland under his Strong Mayor Powers.
Forty-two recommendations were outlined in the task force’s final report issued late Friday.
Among them is to explore the amalgamation of police services with Port Hope or contracting with the Ontario Provincial Police, as the Cobourg Police Service is a significant expenditure in the budget.
The report suggests outsourcing many services, like road winter maintenance and the review of development applications, selling municipal assets, and possibly shrinking the bureaucracy through attrition.
Originally aired: December 8, 2025
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