Local Government Finance

Debate between Christopher Pincher and Baroness Primarolo

Monday 13th December 2010 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dawn Primarolo)]

Order. I remind hon. Members that questions are supposed to be short. If the answers could be short as well, that would be helpful, because many hon. Members still wish to participate.

[Christopher Pincher (Tamworth) (Con)]

Will my right hon. Friend commend Lichfield district council and Tamworth borough council on leading the way by sharing front-of-house and back-office services to save council tax payers’ money? Will he also congratulate Tamworth borough council on its announcement that it is freezing council tax? It is the first time that that has happened in Tamworth in a generation. Does that not demonstrate that Conservative councils offer value-for-money services—

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

Order. I have only just said to the House that there should be short questions. That does not mean three short questions or four short questions. The Secretary of State will answer one of those questions.

Local Government Funding

Debate between Christopher Pincher and Baroness Primarolo

Monday 6th December 2010 Commons Chamber

[Christopher Pincher]

The hon. Gentleman says that local authorities are worried. Perhaps Barrow and Furness is worried, but a cabinet member on the borough council in Tamworth, which is not a rich place or wealthy borough, says:

“We have been planning for a long time to cope with the spending round. The previous government gave with one hand and then took twice as much back with the other. So local government is accustomed to saving money. I am confident the councils services will grow despite reduction in grants, partly thanks to the new homes onus, removal of ring fenced budgets and less red tape. It is a careful balancing act but not one that will lead to massive service cuts. It is business as usual in Tamworth.”

If it is business as usual in Tamworth, why not in Barrow and Furness—

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dawn Primarolo)]

Order. Interventions are supposed to be short—I have said that a number of times—and if the hon. Gentleman reads a very long quotation on to the record he is going to tend to get cut off before he makes his final point.