THE new regeneration arm of Northumberland County Council will be closely scrutinised to prevent the large scale financial irregularities carried out by its predecessor.

An operating agreement between the council’s cabinet and new organisation Advance Northumberland was agreed this week, with councillors to regularly check on the financial dealings of the limited company which is 100 per cent owned by the council.

The agreement came in the wake of the revelations that the previous council-run organisation, Arch, was flagrantly misusing taxpayers’ money.