Response to Northampton Trade Union Council (Northampton Liberal Democrats)

Northampton Liberal Democrats <info@northamptonlibdems.org.uk>

Response to Northampton Trade Union Council

December 30, 2009 12:00 AM
By Cllr. Trini Crake, Lib Dem Environment Spokesperson, Northampton Borough Council in Published, Chronicle & Echo - Monday 4th January

Trade Union rep Ron Mendel writes that the Guildhall has 'announced its intention to privatise' bin collections (View Point: 30th December). He is mistaken.

Working together, Lib Dem-run Northampton Borough Council and Conservative-led Daventry District Council have set a challenge to the private sector - provide more collections for taxpayers' money or match current Council services for less.

As Lib Dem Leader Brian Hoare points out in his Christmas letter (View Point: 24th December) - 'whatever the outcome of the General Election, Whitehall will be giving less to the Guildhall'.

Councils across the country face the same hard fact: cut costs or cut services. Here in Northampton, we are determined to reduce the cost of services to keep them going in the face of public spending cuts.

Mr Mendel well knows the Guildhall relies on government for 70% of its income. So it is with Daventry - and every Council in the country.

Over the coming weeks, firms will be thinking hard about what they can offer local taxpayers by way of better-run public services. As soon as we know what is on offer, Northamptonians will be the first ones to know.

In the meantime, taxpayers can log on to the Council's website and let us know how they think the Council should spend their money. Among this year's budget-setting questions is: 'as long as the service is value-for-money, are you concerned about who provides it?'

Unlike Labour and Conservative Councillors, Liberal Democrats in Northampton want to give taxpayers a say in how their services are run. I hope Mr Mendel and others would agree this is a step forward.

Trini Crake

Liberal Democrat Borough Councillor for Boughton Green

Portfolio Holder for the Environment, Northampton Borough Council