EDINBURGH CONSERVATIVES CALL FOR AN EFFICIENT COUNCIL

Edinburgh Conservatives have today published a budget that shows how the City can have better services at a lower cost. The proposals to be put forward at the Council budget meeting on Thursday by Conservative Finance Spokesman Cllr Iain Whyte include:

A 1% Council Tax cut;

Details of the £61m wasted by Labour and the SNP when they rejected partnership with the private sector to provide better services and details of how this can be re-instated;

Plans to reduce management layers and unnecessary management posts in contrast to the Council’s increase in posts of over 300 in the last year despite austerity budgets;

An end to the war on motorists and boost for City Centre businesses with a freeze on parking charges;

A trial of powered compacting bins with a view to reducing street litter;

Withdrawal from CoSLA the ineffective councils umbrella group making a considerable saving in future years and mirroring the approach of Aberdeen and Dumfries and Galloway;

Plans for further efficiency savings to reduce the risk of overspends or major cuts to public services in the coming few years.

Cllr Iain Whyte said: “All Councils claim efficiencies when making budget reductions but unless you make real structural change in the way the Council is run progress will be limited. Our plans make that structural change and will free up resource to maintain frontline services and make service improvements. We also have to work with all partners to bring innovation, adopt modern technology and working practices and a more customer based approach. We have to truly embrace partnerships with the private and voluntary sectors as these can give us the holy grail of better quality services at lower cost.

“In contrast the current Administration has wasted millions by sticking to a blinkered and old fashioned approach to service delivery. This is failing to deliver the savings they predict and service standards on areas like bin collections and recycling are missing their limited targets.”

“Our budget makes a number of service improvements and shows how to fill the Council’s financial black hole over the next few years while maintaining service levels. But even more importantly we show that this is possible while returning money to hard-working families through a Council Tax cut. Just like Stirling Council has proved this is perfectly possible. It will help family budgets as the recovery takes hold and boost our local economy. But most importantly it sets the Council’s a clear aim to achieve a more efficient and effective Council in future.”

Conservatives challenge Property Repairs secrecy

Conservative Finance Spokesman Cllr Iain Whyte today challenged the need to hold a discussion of a report on the Council's resolution of the Property Repairs scandal in private.  The Committee went ahead behind closed doors after the Convener accepted that there may be confidential legal advice given to Committee. 

 

Iain Whyte said:  "I wanted as much discussion of this issue as possible in public as people are angry that the Council hasn't yet resolved the affected property owners complaints or finalised bills for those left in limbo as they haven't been given a cost for work that was carried out.  The report at the meeting today was largely about setting the procedure and not about individual cases and I believe the procedure should be a matter of public record.

 

"Following the discussion I successfully pressed for a greater proportion of cases where there is a proposal to write off debt, to come to a Council Committee rather than simply be decided behind closed doors by officers.  This can give councillors and the affected owners more confidence that their case is being dealt with in an open way.  It can also strike a balance by ensuring Council officers don't just throw further large amounts of public money at the issue to 'make the problem go away'. 

 

"Finally, I have successfully persuaded the Committee that we need monthly reports on the resolution process as many owners are concerned at the slow progress made to date so far.  Now we can hold the officers to account over the performance of the system.  Conservative councillors want to see a more open approach in future and a swift resolution to the many cases that have caused owners so much distress."

 

ENDS

 

For further information contact Iain Whyte on 07879 486133.

 

Welfare Reform

The issue of Welfare Reform was covered at the Council's Corporate Policy and Strategy Committee today.

Item 7.1 on the agenda provided information which shows that in just 6 months the Council is dealing with additional rent arrears of £2.6m - that is a 132% increase - which appears to be a direct result of a signal sent out by the Council with their ill advised no evictions policy.  
By contrast, Housing Associations knew what would happen and resisted the 'no evictions' policy.  The figures presented today illustrate how right they were. The same figures illustrated that out of Housing Associations who have currently responded, the rate of increase in arrears is significantly lower at 9% - 22%.

The Labour/SNP Administration failed to accept an amendment from the Conservative Group calling for a review of the 'no evictions' policy and an immediate report on its effect.

Making a contribution in support of the amendment, Councillor Cameron Rose also noted:

 

1. How the unfair consequence of this policy is that it has led more people to get into debt.

2. That It is unfair to tenants and taxpayers who may now have to pick up the cost of the increases in unpaid rent.

3. That It is unfair that some tenants have extra rooms paid for from the public purse.

In addition, Councillor Rose highlighted that around 4000 people are bidding for houses in Edinburgh because they consider themselves overcrowded.  

Commenting, Councillor Rose said: "Labour and the SNP are fighting hard to maintain these injustices.  Today they sent a signal that they don't care about fairness."

 

Note: Full Committee Papers can be found here:

 

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/3166/corporate_policy_and_strategy_committee

 

The full text of the Conservative Motion to the Corporate Policy and Strategy Committee reads as follows:

 

Item 7.1   Welfare Reform – further update.

Notes with concern the 132% increase  in rent arrears in the six month period between 31^st March 2013 and 30^th September 2013 resulting in an additional  £2.6m of Council house rent debt.

Notes that the Council’s adopted ‘no eviction’ policy appears to have had a dramatic effect on the level of rent arrears in contrast to the policy of Registered Social Landlords, where increases in rent arrears have been more modest.

Resolves to review the ‘no evictions’ policy and calls for an immediate report on its effect within one cycle.

 

 

National Sport Performance Centre coming to Edinburgh

Edinburgh has won the race to be the location for the new national sport performance centre, beating off strong competition from Stirling and Dundee. The successful bid by Heriot-Watt University, in partnership the City of Edinburgh Council, to host the £30m facility was announced today by Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Conservative Group Leader Cllr Rose, said, “This is excellent and exciting news for the Capital City. The new centre will not only bring sporting benefit but economic benefit to the city as well. I want to congratulate the whole team for their hard work and achieving an excellent result.”

Tram companies report

Tomorrow, the Labour/SNP administration of Edinburgh Council will publish the report on the proposals for the governance of the company structure for Lothian Buses and the tram companies.

In a media release today initial details are included.    Because surrounding Councils hold a 9% stake in Lothian Buses (with the remainder held by Edinburgh Council), the governance structure has three elements - Lothian Buses, the tram company and Transport for Edinburgh, the parent company.

The report will be considered at a meeting of Edinburgh Council on 22nd August.

Conservative Group Leader Cllr Cameron Rose has commented on the proposals and press release:

"Given the history of the project, the top priority is to get trams up and running as efficiently as possible. With trams now being tested on the track between Gogar and the Airport,  Transport for Edinburgh needs to focus on providing a good service to travelling customers with integrated tram and buses.  Grand plans for the future are premature.  

 

The reality is that the tram part of the companies will not run profitably for some considerable time and the priority is to get it running smoothly - and into the black as soon as can be.  That is what the people and taxpayers of Edinburgh expect and deserve.

 

The proposals published by the Administration are for a politician to chair the board of the transport companies.  That is not a good idea.  I believe a non executive director with relevant transport expertise would be more appropriate and I will try to persuade the Administration to accept this improvement."

 

The report will be available on the Council web site late tomorrow morning. 

Edinburgh Conservatives mourn the passing of David McLetchie MSP

It is with great sadness that Edinburgh Conservatives have learned of the passing of Lothian MSP and former Scottish Conservative Leader, David McLetchie, aged 61.

Commenting, Edinburgh's youngest Councillor, Nick Cook said:

"I feel privileged to have known and had the opportunity to learn from David McLetchie.

David was a 'true blue' Conservative. He was an excellent MSP for both the people of his former Edinburgh Pentlands constituency and the wider Lothian region. He was a towering figure in Scottish politics who was respected across the political divide. Above all he was a thoroughly decent man.

My thoughts are with his family at this very sad time."

Edinburgh Conservatives to call for emergency council meeting on trams

Negotiations between Edinburgh Council and Lothian Buses have failed to meet a deadline for agreement which was set for Monday this week. The negotiations are to agree strong governance, financial and shareholder controls for the operation of trams and buses in Edinburgh.

Conservative Group Leader Cameron Rose noted:

"It is essential that a satisfactory agreement is reached on governance, financial and shareholder controls for the operation of buses and trams.

Knowing the importance of the terms of such an agreement I will be calling for an early meeting of all councillors for no later than 8th August if the delayed negotiations further stall or if the agreement is not considered to be satisfactory.

If we cannot be assured there is a satisfactory agreement by Monday next week, it is essential councillors are fully updated to review and decide on the options on this important issue. Edinburgh Conservatives will push for an urgent meeting of all councillors as soon as possible.

Edinburgh Council is the senior shareholder and councillors must ensure the strategic direction and operation of trams and buses is in the best interests of the people of Edinburgh."

Notes:

1.      Edinburgh Council is 91% shareholder of Lothian Buses (the remaining interest lies with the neighbouring councils).  The agreement envisages a holding company with two subsidiaries, Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams Ltd, the latter with Edinburgh Council as the sole shareholder.

2.      Edinburgh Council met on 27th June and noted that negotiations were expected to be completed by 22nd July.  

3.      Edinburgh Conservatives proposed (and the Council accepted) the following in relation to the negotiations:   “Edinburgh Council notes such discussions are scheduled to be completed by 22^nd July and instructs that the group leaders of all parties be briefed immediately prior to their conclusion in order to assess their success.  In the absence of a satisfactory conclusion protecting the Council’s position having regard to its financial contribution and liabilities, opportunity should be afforded to the Council leader, in consultation with group leaders to institute an emergency meeting of Council within 14 days.”

4.      The minuted decision can be found here (item 10) and report in full Edinburgh Tram – Preparing for Operations can be seen here.