Labour council leaders support Green council on local government finance call

The Labour  leaders of Chesterfield and Darlington councils are supporting calls from the Leader of Brighton & Hove council for the government to come clean on their future proposals for local government finance.
 
Ministers recently made comments at public events and in the House of Commons, suggesting that a future review would undermine councils' management of local finances.
 
Green-led Brighton & Hove began its budget-setting process early, and was the first to declare its intentions at the beginning of December. However 26 councils of all political stripes have since followed after recognising the ‘financial cliff-edge' they face after one year if they accept the one-off grant.
 
Councillor Bill Randall commented:

"The Green administration published our draft budget early to allow for proper consultation with residents. But how can residents get involved in a meaningful conversation about how to protect services from government cuts if the government threatens to move the goalposts so late in the day?
 
"It flies in the face of localism to claim to give councils more power, but then apply penalties if they do something the government disagrees with.
 
"I've asked other council Leaders to join me in demanding that the government come clean on their threats." 

The following councils have decided  increase Council Tax in order to safeguard services:

Brighton & Hove City Council	Grn	3.50%
Chesterfield BC	Lab	3.50%
Darlington BC	Lab	3.50%
Leicester City Council	Lab	3.50%
Middlesbrough Council	Lab	3.50%
Preston City Council	Lab	3.50%
Redcar & Cleveland BC	Lab	3.50%
Stockton-on-Tees BC	Lab	3.50%
Barrow BC	Lab	3.49%
North Dorset DC	Con	3.49%
Stoke-on-Trent City Council	Lab	3.49%
Gravesham Borough Council	Lab	3.48%
Dover DC	Con	3.45%
Taunton Deane BC	Con	3.45%
Luton BC	Lab	3.44%
Gedling BC	Lab	3.40%
Nottingham City Council	Lab	3.40%
Tunbridge Wells BC	Con	3.30%
Scarborough BC	Con/Lib/Ind	3.00%
Surrey CC	Con	2.99%
Cambridgeshire CC	Con	2.95%
East Cambridgeshire DC	Con	2.95%
Peterborough City Council	Con	2.95%
York City Council	Lab	2.90%
South Hams DC	Con	2.50%
West Devon BC	Con	2.50%
Chelmsford BC	Con	2.46%

 

So what would a Green led Council do?

This speech by the new leader of Brighton and Hove Council gives a taste. It will be no easy task in the present conditions but I wish him and his team well.

Brighton & Hove will become the UK’s greenest city, the city council’s new leader Bill Randall has said.

In his first major speech since taking control, Mr Randall set out three key aims for the next four years. Apart from the ambitious eco-drive, they also comprise tackling inequality and involving residents, community and voluntary organisations in the council’s work.

He set out a plan to reduce the city’s eco footprint and set up a ‘biosphere reserve’ with neighbouring authorities – both plans backed by the business community and other public bodies.

Initiatives also include adopting local carbon budgets, which run alongside financial budgets, as well as plans to fit solar panels on schools and other public buildings to take advantage of feed-in tariffs and increase the use of renewable energy.

While admitting that tackling inequality will not be easy because of the public spending cuts, he said the first priority will be to protect services for children, vulnerable adults and those on low incomes.

Other initiatives include introducing a ‘living wage’ and ensuring that the highest paid council officer earns no more than 10 times the lowest paid officer.

Involving communities is a high priority with plans being piloted to introduce neighbourhood councils with their own budgets and working closely with the city’s vibrant third sector and trade unions.

Mr Randall said the administration takes over in hard times but that there is a new spirit in the city.

“We believe we have captured that spirit to offer the city a fresh start through policies fuelled by fairness and driven by a desire to produce the UK's Greenest city and narrow the gap between rich and poor. We look forward to working with residents, public and private sector partners to achieve our aims."