Labour announces consultation on giving the public access to information on councils' efficiency

The Local Government Minister John Healey today announced a consultation aimed at ensuring council taxpayers are part of the aim of saving £5 billion over the next three years of money spent by town halls. The proposals include the suggestion that council tax bills include information on the efficiency savings the council has made, and comparative data on how well similar councils had done over the same period.

Shadow Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles said in response:

“John Healey’s own department wouldn’t pass these tests of efficiency, council savings and transparency. Labour’s breathtaking levels of incompetence have resulted in £800 million in uncollected council tax in the last year. To add insult to injury, under Gordon Brown council tax has doubled in the last decade whilst frontline services have been slashed."