1. THE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH
Whether it is as Councillors in local government or Cabinet Ministers in Central Government, as Conservatives we have the same fundamental approach. Neither the Chancellor of the Exchequer nor the Chairman of a local Finance Committee has any money of his own: it is money taken from the taxpayer or citizen. We realise that we are trustees of the money we take and it is our duty to look after it and spend it wisely. We do not judge Governments by how much taxpayers' money they can spend but by how much money they can leave the taxpayer to choose how to spend. [end p1]
And similarly, we judge Councils not by how deeply they can reach into the pocket of their electors but by how they can provide efficient and reliable services at minimum cost to the ratepayers.
Our belief is that is by providing the maximum opportunity for the individual to create his own wealth which gives the greatest wealth of opportunity. [end p2]
RATES AND SERVICES
Just as we in Government are now considering our Budget, so you as Conservative councillors are considering yours. Your local officers will be drawing up forecasts for expenditure on services for you to approve. But remember, before you accept them and set a rate, question them and compare them with how other authorities perform elsewhere. - Look at the Audit Commission's comparisons of how similar councils are providing the same services at different cost. - Look at the Government's own assessment of what each council should need to spend. [end p3] - Look at whether services can be provided at lower cost by putting them out to competitive tender.
It is by adopting this approach that Conservative Councils have managed to provide better services at lower cost to the ratepayer. [end p4]
3. GOOD COUNCILS
It is Conservative Councils up and down the country, many of them represented here today, that are showing that a high level of services need not mean a high level of rates.
Kent Council, which has been praised by the Audit Commission and saved over £1 million this year by contracting out school and college cleaning.
Bromley Council, praised by the Audit Commission and saved £200,000 a year by contracting out street cleaning.
Solihull Council, praised by the Audit Commission and has contracted out school cleaning, grass cutting and refuse collection. [end p5]
And look at those Labour Councils where the Government has intervened to cap the rates. Lambeth - down 19 per cent, Ealing - down 25 per cent, Waltham Forest - down 31 per cent.
Life goes on: the world does not come to an end. [end p6]
4. COMMUNITY CHARGE
Under the present system, it is hard for the ratepayer to judge whether his Council is doing a good job and is spending his money wisely.
The new system we are introducing will cast light on the whole process of local government finance. Labour Councillors will no longer be able to hide inefficiency and extravagance behind jargon and special pleading. For the new system is designed to ensure that the same level of services provided with the same efficiency anywhere in the country will lead to the same level of Community Charge. [end p7]
The level of Community Charge will thus be a direct indicator of the efficiency and thrift of councils throughout the land. It will provide Conservative councillors with a weapon that we have long needed for the new system will lead to greater justice, greater accountability and greater democracy. And of those things, we have no fear. [end p8]
5. LABOUR COUNCILS
While Neil Kinnock and his colleagues try to slap on another layer of make-up to conceal the face of the Labour left, it is actually there for all to see in Labour Councils up and down the land.
In Council after Council, traditional municipal socialists have been replaced by the professional militants of the hard left.
Derek Hatton, in his recent book, exposed the truth when the wrote: “Like it or not, Neil Kinnock has Militant fighting on his side. He called us maggots, gnawing at the core of the Labour Party. He will discover that we are the core.” [end p9] And the tactics of the extreme left carry a dreadful warning of what life would be like if Labour gained power.
As Roy Mason said: “Do as you are told or else” is the theme that now determines Labour Councillors' reselection. [end p10]
6. THE COMING ELECTIONS
In under nine weeks time, we have a great opportunity. Over 3,800 seats will be contested and we will be fighting to win as many of them as we can. Already, the number of Conservative Councillors has risen in recent weeks as we have taken seats in by-elections up and down the country.
On 5th May, that slow trickle will turn into a torrent. For the electorate know that we are the only party committed to protecting the ratepayer. And that is why I am confident that with your help we shall be taking votes, taking seats and taking Councils throughout the land. (2) BBC Radio News Report 1800 9 March 1988: [end p11]
The Social Services Secretary, Mr John Moore - speaking at the Conservative local government conference in London - turned down a call for the government to give an advance commitment to fund in full the recommendations of the forthcoming nurses' and doctors' pay review bodies. He also told NHS workers they were employed in a nationalised monopoly and that their campaign for extra money sometimes detracted from what he called “the enormous success” of the health service. The Prime Minister paid a visit to the conference and, unexpectedly, took the opportunity to speak about the introduction of the community charge. She said it would transform Britain's inner cities. It had been specifically designed to enable councils to provide the same level of services at the same degree of efficiency across the country. Mrs Thatcher's speech was later attacked by Labour's environment spokesman, Doctor John Cunningham, who said it showed a monumental ignorance of local government. Our political correspondent, Martin Dowle, reports: [end p12]
Dowle
With the local elections only two months away, Mrs. Thatcher said the Conservatives had nothing to fear from a positive campaign on the merits of the community charge. Although the Government has had to accept a phasing-in of the charge in some London boroughs because of the initial high cost, Mrs. Thatcher argued to the conference that it would in fact stimulate job creation the inner cities.
Thatcher
Believe you me, this is going to transform inner cities because no longer are they going to be able to spend, spend, spend, put it on the owner-occupier, the shops and industry - and in fact stop new jobs coming to the inner cities.
Dowle
She said the charge had been designed to provide the same level of services across the country with variation of need being ironed out by rate support grants.
Thatcher
It means that people in local authorities have a ready-reckoner by which to judge the performance of their local authority. Because, if they're paying more community charge, it's either because they've got more extravagant services or delivered with a less efficiency of management, and that's why they're paying more.
Dowle
The speech has produced a swift response from Labour. Dr. Cunningham said it was impossible to make such comparisons between inner cities and rural areas, where the nature of problems and services were completely different. In addition, the poll tax would reduce the revenue base of inner city areas while at the same time imposing higher charges on its residents. He said he was astounded at what he called the ignorance of Mrs. Thatcher's comments.