Remarks from the Labour Party Conference have included attempts at apologising for some of the errors made during 13 years in government. This sudden effort at contrition does not go far enough. We are paying more than £120 million each day just to service the interest on the national debt. To rack up that kind of millstone commitment must have meant the government taking the national credit card out of its pocket and spending without any reference to available resources.
It is the easiest political act in the world to spend money on an apparently populist measure, even easier to say that you will do so when in Opposition. Being in that position appears to shield a political party from accountability, at least temporarily. It is possible to say anything and commit to anything. Labour act out that role with considerable enthusiasm.
It is the same locally. Crawley Council has some £85 million in capital reserves, principally built up under previous Labour administrations. Much of this had to be kept in place because a few years ago, we still needed £4 million every year in interest to help fund day-to-day services forCrawley. This was because of annual spending commitments otherwise not being matched by available resources. Under the Conservative Council, we have reduced this dependency dramatically, and in the nick of time. There would otherwise be serious difficulties with today’s historically low interest rates.
Ironically, the existence of substantial capital reserves is sometimes criticised by local Labour politicians who created the absolute need for them with their own annual spending plans. Finding efficiency savings in annual budgets is a much more challenging political act than making unsustainable spending promises. Through the successful search for savings, the Conservative administration has been able to release capital to invest inCrawley. The improvement programme for the Council-owned neighbourhood shopping parades was advanced by two years. Major regeneration schemes were completed at the Bewbush Centre and Langley Parade, despite the recession.
Having capital available is of fundamental importance toCrawley’s future. With it, we have strategic options. It remains our commitment to regenerate the town centre with a retail-led scheme. We recognise that there is a shortage of affordable housing and having capital available gives more choice about how and where to intervene to secure this.
There is lesson, nationally and locally, which is to always challenge politicians who make promises around recurring annual spending. Where is the money coming from? How will it be funded this year, next year and in the future? Keep those questions going because we know the price of not challenging unsustainable spending.
Councillor Bob Lanzer, Leader of Crawley Borough Council
27th September 2011