Ed Miliband speech to launch Labour’s local election campaign

2 April 2012

It is almost two years since David Cameron and Nick Clegg promised change.

The British people have given them a chance.

But two years on, it’s time to take stock.

They promised us growth that lasts.

And we haven’t even had any growth for eighteen months.

They promised fairer taxes.

But two years on, they are raising taxes for pensioners but cutting them for millionaires.

They promised us a stronger society.

But, accrding to the British Crime Survey, violence, theft and robbery are going up – the fastest rise in a decade.

Wrong values, wrong priorities, wrong choices.

This is a government out of touch.

But we are not going to rely just on the unpopularity of this government.

Because I know a lot of people thought Labour eventually lost touch when we were in government.

That is why Labour is changing so that we can once more change the country.

The issues on which Labour will campaign in these local elections are rooted in real life, in the experiences people in every local authority area in the country.

Living Standards

Jobs

The NHS.

Crime

On each of these issues we are with you.

These solutions are about making different choices, having different priorities and showimg we can deliver even when there is less money around.

Living standards

I’ve met so many people who say it’s so difficult to make ends meet.

Families all around this country are facing a quiet crisis of rising costs.

When they fill up a tank of petrol, take the train to work, or pay their gas or electricity bills.

And the government doesn’t understand what it’s like.

They are letting companies put up train fares by as much as 11%.

They are letting energy companies overcharge pensioners.

And they are making it worse in their decisions on tax.

Labour councils are working to keep your costs down.

In Manchester, despite having their budgets cut, the council are keeping every Sure Start centre open which helps keen childcare affordable.

In Newcastle, Labour councillors have kept libraries open, so families can afford to find a book to read to their children.

And just up the M42 in Gedling, the council is helping keep mortgages and parking affordable.

If Labour was in government in Westminster, we would end rail rip-offs by capping fare increases on every route.

We would force the energy firms to give pensioners over the age of 75 the lowest possible tariff.

We stop the tax on pensioners by not going ahead with the 50p tax cut.

And reverse the cuts to tax credits by reversing the more generous pensions tax reliefs the government introduced for the richest.

None of these require extra spending.

They just need better choices, different values.

Jobs

We have a jobs crisis in this country.

A million young people are out of work.

The government have set up a work programme which doesn’t even guarantee work.

A jobs programme which doesn’t even guarantee jobs.

How out of touch can you get?

Labour councils and councillors across the country are already showing there is another way.

In Liverpool for example, a Labour council is creating more than a thousand new apprenticeships and building more than two thousand homes.

Working to bring back hope.

And if we were in government in Westminster, we would tax bank bonuses to guarantee 100,000 unemployed young people real jobs.

We would conquer long-term youth unemployment all around the country.

Every person aged 18 – 24 who was out of work for a year would be given a placement in a small business or similar.
And we’d make sure they take it.

Real jobs, real prospects, real training.

We would get Britain working again.

NHS

Look what they’re doing to the NHS.

David Cameron has betrayed all his promises on the NHS.

His government came to office saying they were going to leave the NHS alone.

‘No more top down reorganisations of the NHS’ is what they said.

But as soon as they got in, what did they try to do?

Not just a reorganisation of the NHS.

But the biggest reorganisation in the history of the NHS.

Breaking it up.

Damaging patient care.

And spending money reorganising even while they sack nurses.

How out of touch can you get?

Labour councils will act as the last line of defence against the fragmentation of the NHS.

And if we were in government now, we would protect 6,000 nurses’ jobs by dumping their top-down reorganisation

Crime

And when it comes to keeping our communities safe, look what this Tory-led government are doing. Taking 16,000 police officers off the streets.

Ditching ASBOs.

How out touch can you get?

Our parents and grandparents often say that communities were safer and stronger in times gone by.

You were more likely to know your neighbour, kids respected the elderly and young people felt the country had something to offer them.

We can’t recreate the past.

But I believe in a country with those values of respect, responsibility and opportunity.

The Labour Group here in Birmingham is campaigning to introduce a tougher approach to anti social behaviour and challenging cuts to the West Midlands police budget.

And that is the approach we want to see:

Common Sense Policing

That means three things.

Firstly, keeping frontline police on the streets.

Keeping PCSOs on the streets.

Secondly, it means that the police and local authorities must have enough power to deal with antisocial behaviour.

ASBOs aren’t perfect, but I have had too many people in my constituency in tears about their neighbours from hell to think that the solution is to just scrap ASBOs altogether.

But that’s what the Tories are doing.

Thirdly, we need to encourage police to nip problems in the bud.

Instead of just giving people a caution knowing they will commit further offences, those who do the wrong thing should be forced to make it up to the victim.

Make good on the damage they have caused, help rebuild the community project, clean up the graffiti, fix a wrecked garden.

Of course, it won’t be appropriate in all circumstances and should only happen if the victim wants it to happen.

When offenders have to confront the consquences of their crimes and meet their victims, they can come to understand what they have done and the damage they have caused.

This has made some less likely to commit further offences: it puts them back onto the right path.

Here in the West Midlands, the police are already working with local authorities to try out this approach.

And it is working.

But the problem is less than one in thirty victims across the country sees this kind of approach being employed.

So the difference with Labour is that:

We would be keeping police on the streets not taking them off.

We would be strengthening powers to deal with anti social behaviour not taking it away.

And we would force offenders who break something or cause damage in the community to fix it.

That’s commonsense policing.

The Tories have abandoned any pretence they can govern for the whole country.

They have abandoned Middle Britain.

They prefer to listen to those who have given millions of pounds to the Conservative Party.

Labour would govern for the whole country, not just for the wealthy few.

Those are the values that in these tough times, this country needs more than ever today.

Those are the values at the heart of what we are campaigning for in these local elections.

Gedling Labour said no to the government’s con-trick offer of a Council Tax Freeze Grant that is worth £140,000 for one year only and would cost the council more than £600,000 over four years.

Deputy Leader of the Council, Cllr. Michael Payne said:

“Ask yourself – if your boss offered you a pay rise for one year only of £140,000 but told you it would cost you and your family £610,000 over the next four years, would you accept the offer?

We said no to the government on this ‘buy now pay later’ con-trick which would mean coming back to the taxpayer with significantly higher Council Tax rises in years to come and would risk vital services.”

The budget approved last night, which focuses on delivering jobs, growth and fairness in tough times will enable the council to maintain front line services as well as make a number of improvements, including:

1. Funding the set up costs of the 20 Special Police Constables who will be specifically assigned to the borough – the first district-wide scheme of its kind in Notts
2. Keeping two hours free car parking in all borough car parks
3. Rolling out super-fast broadband in rural communities
4. Creating new job opportunities through an apprentice scheme at the council
5. A mortgage scheme to assist home buyers
6. Continued funding for an anti social behaviour coordinator
7. Funding for a new sustainability officer
8. Investment in the Council’s first electric vehicles
9. Increased use of the Council’s buildings & offices in partnership with public sector agencies and third sector partners – including providing office space and support for Citizens Advice Bureau
   
10. Continued work with our main social housing sector supplier (Gedling Homes) to deliver over £600,000 of public realm works across the borough, including continuing our Shop Front Improvement Scheme
11. Support for elderly and disabled people living in their homes by investing £250,000 to deliver disabled facilities grants to allow homeowners/landlords to makle their properties fit for the purpose for residents with disabilities
12. Support for energy saving measures including our recently installed 180+ solar panels at the Council

The rise of 3.4% in Council Tax is below the rate of inflation and equates to £3.85 per year for the average household in the borough. Gedling Labour’s budget has been proposed in the context of a 25% reduction in Conservative-Liberal Democrat government grants, which equates to a real term reduction of £2.5million per year.

Gedling Labour’s careful financial management has identified savings and efficiencies of over £1million in next year’s budget and other efficiencies in the next four years to help offset these reductions, allowing the council to deliver a balanced budget next year and in the long-term too.

Leader of the Council, Cllr John Clarke, said:

“Against a backdrop of major government cuts, severe austerity measures and rising costs, we are determined to maintain top quality services in Gedling.

Through sound financial management and some radical decisions about the way we deliver services we have found £1m of savings, without affecting front line services. 

This budget will protect spending on our key services such as waste and recycling, street cleaning and parks as well as providing additional services which we are confident will bring real benefits to real people.”

The Labour motion set out full support for Secretary of State, Eric Pickles MP’s rebuke of Conservative controlled Nottinghamshire County Council’s “disproportionate” approach to cuts to community and voluntary sector organisations across Gedling.

The motion, which also highlighted the disparity between cuts to Northern local authority areas and Southern areas was voted against by every Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillor present at the meeting.

It would seem Gedling Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have put political allegiance before their central duty of standing up for the people of Gedling against unfair and disproportionate cuts.

Text of the full motion was as follows:

14/2/2012
Motion re: Local Government finance settlement

• To note the significant reduction in our Revenue Support Grant (allocated to Gedling Borough Council from central government) from £8.011m in 2010/11 to £6.954m in 2011/12 and to £6.135m in 2012/2013 – equating to a cash reduction over 2011/12 and 2012/13 of £1.88m (23.5%) and a real terms reduction of £2.3m (28.7%).

• To note the disparity and unfairness in cumulative cuts to local authority areas across England: Gedling Borough has received a reduction in revenue spending of £44 per person over the period 2011-13 (including in year cuts 2010-11) whilst Basingstoke & Deane Borough has received a reduction in revenue spending of £0 per person over the same period.

• To note Chair of the Local Government Association, Sir Merrick Cockell’s recent comments on council budgets: “these decisions must be based on local priorities and councillors know they will be judged solely by the people they represent when the votes are cast in the next local elections.”

• That a letter outlining our concerns, seeking clarification on the government’s priorities and position on the above matters as well as challenging the evident unfairness should be sent by the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government.

• That a letter be sent to the Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council by the Leader & Deputy Leader of the Council supporting the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on his correspondence to Nottinghamshire County Council stating that ‘on the face of it, the cuts that your council have made to its grant aid budget for voluntary sector groups appear to be disproportionate.’

• That the letter also further supports the Secretary of State, Eric Pickles MP by outlining to Nottinghamshire County Council that we would be ‘grateful if you could reconcile your council’s decision on funding the voluntary & community sector to the strategic guidance.’

Proposed: Cllr. W J Clarke
Seconded: Cllr. M R Payne

Gedling Labour is set to agree at the budget Cabinet meeting on Thursday 16 February that it will fund the set up costs of the 20 Special Constables who will be specifically assigned to the borough. They will be tasked by local priorities set by the community through neighbourhood policing teams and will also support the work of the council’s wardens.

This will be the first district-wide scheme of its kind in Nottinghamshire. Recruitment and training of the additional specials is expected to start later in the year.

After Cabinet approval of the budget proposals for 2012/13 they will be referred to Full Council on March 5 where the budget will be formally agreed.

Cllr Michael Payne, Deputy Leader at Gedling Borough Council said:

“These Special Constables will be specifically for the Gedling area and will be a very positive presence in our communities.

This initiative is proof that Labour locally is making different decisions to the Conservatives and Lib Dems in government; unlike them we are concentrating on cutting crime not the police.

We’re putting police back on the streets of Gedling whilst Tory-Lib Dem cuts have meant a loss of 195 police officers from Nottinghamshire streets since the General Election in 2010.”

Since Labour took control of Gedling Borough Council in May 2011 there has been a decrease in anti-social behaviour incidents by 9.5% across the borough compared with the previous year. Overall crime has also recuced by 4.5%.

Vernon Coaker, Gedling Member of Parliament said:

“This commitment to put police back on the streets in the face of Tory & Lib Dem cuts demonstrates that the safety of our residents is Gedling Labour’s top priority.”

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Scarrott at Nottinghamshire Police said:

“This decision is very welcome and exemplifies what can be achieved through constructive partnership between the police and local authorities.

The beneficiaries, of course, will be the residents of Gedling borough who should see continued reductions in crime and antisocial behaviour as a result of this additional deployment of special officers.”

—-

Notes:

• Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary report Adapting to Austerity puts the number of police officers cut in Nottinghamshire at 455 between 2010 and 2015 but since the 2010 General Election, 195 officers have already been lost in Nottinghamshire, 66 of which the HMIC reports were frontline officers.
• The Special Constabulary is the United Kingdom’s part-time police force. It is made up of volunteer members of the public who when on duty wear a uniform and have full police powers. There are around 15,000 Specials serving with police forces across the UK.

The proposal will allow the council to protect front line services as well as make a number of significant improvements, which include:

• Keeping two hours free car parking in all borough car parks
• Rolling out superfast broadband in rural communities
• Creating new jobs through an apprentice scheme at the council
• A mortgage scheme to assist home buyers
• Continued funding for an anti social behaviour coordinator
• Funding for a new sustainability officer

Gedling Labour’s budget will also ensure the council remains solvent in spite of massive real term cuts of £2.5m from the Conservative government and further massive reductions in funding for Council Tax Benefit for working age families.

Gedling Labour is proposing to increase its share of the council tax for 2012/13 by less than 8 pence a week for the average household in the borough. This is a rise of 3.4%, which is below the rate of inflation. 

Labour Leader of the Council, Cllr John Clarke, said:

“We are determined to maintain top quality services despite a massive cuts by the Conservative government and rising costs. Through sound financial management and efficiencies in back office operations, including a 7% saving in council salaries and a reduction in the number of senior managers, the council is in a very strong position. The Conservative government’s offer of a one year Council Tax freeze grant is a trap, it’s like getting a pay day loan now and paying back massive interest later, it fails to take into account the huge cut in funding for Council Tax support for working age families too.

Our proposed budget will protect spending on our main front line services such as waste and recycling, street cleaning and parks as well as providing additional services including an apprenticeship scheme, a new sustainability officer and a  new broadband infrastructure for our rural communities. It will also allow us to keep two hours free car parking, which we know is very important in our local shopping centres.

Efficiency savings we are making and sound financial management means that, in spite of the severe reductions in our grant, we can deliver a balanced budget, not only next year but also for the following years, while protecting front line services and minimising service reductions.”

“Finding sites for new housing is one of the most important and one of the most difficult jobs for a local council. We need to build more homes to get our economy moving again and to accommodate the growth in our population and the increase in single person households and changing lifestyles.

We’ve had a really thorough look at developing Mapperley Golf Course and while it could generate a range of potential benefits – including the re-development of Gedling Colliery – the evidence now shows that there are other sustainable options which are more viable and more deliverable.

Building houses on Mapperley Golf Course has been considered on a number of occasions and by all political parties. Every time we’re looking for new sites, this one gets considered and the on-going uncertainty isn’t good for the golf club or for local residents. We’ll therefore be asking officers to work up proposals for putting the site back into the Greenbelt to put an end to this uncertainty.”

More information can found on Gedling Borough’s website: Click here