Essex bank scheme a key battleground in county elections (From Brentwood Weekly News)

Essex bank scheme a key battleground in county elections

5:00am Monday 11th May 2009

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THE economy in Essex looks set to be the key factor in the county council elections, on June 4.

Conservatives are defending a 25-seat majority, but Labour and Liberal Democrats both have their guns trained on several Tory seats.

The recession is set to be a key factor in elections all over the country, but how local parties respond to the problem is likely to play a major part in the elections.

In the run-up to the election, the Tories can point to their Essex Bank scheme, which could lend as much as £150million to struggling Essex businesses.

But the Liberal Democrats argue the money would be better spent in a one-off council tax rebate to lower-income earners.

Tom Smith-Hughes, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Essex County Council, said: “We believe money would be better off in people’s pockets than in a bank.

“That’s why we are proposing a £50 council tax rebate for all families in band A to E.”

Away from the economy, both Labour and the Liberal Democrats were critical of a 2008 Ofsted inspection which rated the council as inadequate for its care of vulnerable children – the same score as Haringey, where Baby P died.

Paul Kirkman, leader of the Labour group on Essex County Council, said: “To achieve a score of inadequate is quite simply not acceptable. It is not surprising as the Conservative’s agenda has always been to cut back on services.”

Both parties were also critical of the council’s decision to advertise all of it £5.4billion-worth of services to private contractors.

However, Mr Kirkman admitted the election is likely to be a referendum on Gordon Brown and his Government, which could mean problems for the Labour party in Essex.

He said: “It is going to be a difficult election for us. We have to be realistic, but I don’t want people to let the Conservatives get away with it just because they don’t like Gordon Brown.”

However Tory leader, Lord Hanningfield, leader of Essex County Council, said actions spoke louder than words.

He said: “The services we provide in Essex are the best they’ve ever been and we will continue to build on the successes we’ve had over the past four years.

“Our motto is the customer is first and we will carry on putting the people of Essex first, asking them what from us – such as saving the post offices which we have done – instead of telling them what they want.

“Our big issues are continuing to help the elderly, children’s services and road maintenance.

“I am getting fed up with people saying we are going to ‘out source’ everything, that’s not true at all. But we do need to minimise bureaucracy and put money where it is needed.”

As for the Ofsted inspection issue, he said: “This report is now two years old and since then we have looked into the findings and put £20million into improving children’s services.

“We were never as bad as Haringey Council. That is a complete exaggeration.

“We need to talk about the future now, not something that is two years old.”

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