All politics is local and that is precisely the message the LGA Conservative Group has been getting across to the candidates in the Conservative leadership election.
Our ‘contract to back Conservatives in local government’ has been launched and circulated to the leadership candidates.
Following engagement with our Conservative councillors, we have brought together a series of policy and organisational recommendations for the new party leader, to ensure that the Conservative local government family has a more equal relationship with our parliamentary colleagues.
Last month, we brought all six of the leadership candidates into the LGA’s Smith Square offices, to give them the opportunity to highlight their priorities for Conservatives in local government.
“It is incredibly important that we feed intelligence to the party leadership on what is happening on the ground”
I was particularly pleased that several candidates confirmed they would give a Conservative local government representative a seat in the Shadow Cabinet. As we now sit in opposition, it is incredibly important that we feed intelligence to the party leadership on what is happening on the ground, and this can be best achieved through sitting in the Shadow Cabinet.
I wanted to place on record my concern about the Labour Government’s plan to remove the VAT exemption on independent school fees. This policy will have enormous consequences for local government.
MPs need to remember that not every independent school is like Eton or Harrow. Many are small establishments that reduce the burden on the state.
Some parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities use the private sector to educate their children, and the inevitable increase in fees will, I believe, result in even more pressure on local government to process new education, health and care plans.
The Government needs to understand that there is no financial gain to removing the VAT exemption on independent school fees. Indeed, the financial burden that will be placed on local government will only increase our lobbying for a better funding deal for councils ahead of the financial settlement to be published later this year.
It must reverse this insane and bizarre decision before the next academic year.