Osborne says a Conservative Government will learn from councils
Could a Conservative Government next year be assisted in finding savings from the experiences of Conservatives already exercising power in the Town Halls? The Shadow Chancellor George Osborne thinks so. A Conservative Councillors Seminar is taking place today not just for councillors to learn from each other but also to pass on ideas to the Conservative leadership.
In his speech he will say: "I want the Conservative Party to learn from what local Conservative councils are doing right now, as they are dealing with many of the constraints that we may face very soon."
According to the BBC he will commend Windsor Council and the Greater London Authority for being the first to publish detailed information about their spending programmes online. He will also commend Hammersmith and Fulham which "reduced administration costs and froze councillor allowances so it could focus resources on schools and more policing."
Today's meeting was mentioned by David Cameron in his speech on Monday. "Conservative controlled Hammersmith and Fulham Council has cut council tax by three percent this year," he said. "Yet it is one of the top performing local councils in the country. If they can do it, others can too. Indeed, this Thursday, Conservative councils are getting together to discuss how they can learn from each others' experiences and help deliver more for less."
It's heartening that others regard Hammersmith and Fulham as a model. We spend our time looking to Wandsworth as a model.
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