By Vivienne Russell
17 December 2010
The leader of the Liberal Democrats in the Local Government Association has accused two Conservative ministers of behaving like ‘Laurel and Hardy’.
Richard Kemp, who is also vice chair criticises Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles and local government minister Grant Shapps for making unrealistic suggestions of how local government can achieve savings on the scale demanded.
His concerns are expressed in a letter to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, issued today.
Kemp writes: ‘Whilst trying to have a serious discussion on these desperate issues we have too frequently been diverted by two ministers – Pickles and Shapps – who behave more like Laurel and Hardy than members of Her Majesty’s Government.
‘They continually put forward the idea that all the savings at this massively high level can be made by increased efficiency, cuts in small number of salaries, raiding reserves that are not needed etc. In fact, almost every day we get from them a new gimmick.
‘Their behaviour is a disgrace. Either they really do not know how serious the situation is that they have created by being the first to settle with the biggest front-loading or they are deliberately trying to distract attention from the problems that they have created.’
Kemp maintains that the scope for further efficiencies is
limited and says cuts cannot be implemented without job losses and reductions
in service levels.
But Shapps hit back saying: ‘Mr Kemp will be rather embarrassed when he notices that on Monday [December 13] his own council admitted its senior management was so bloated that it axed 48 posts saving the taxpayer £4.25m.
‘I don’t think even Richard could deny that this move would protect plenty of frontline staff. Maybe Mr Kemp is rattled by our new levels of transparency meaning all councils will have to publish all items of expenditure over £500 online exposing the inner workings of town halls to public scrutiny for the first time.
‘This was a tough but fair settlement ensuring the most vulnerable are protected. If councils share back-office services, join forces to procure, cut out crazy non-jobs and root out the wild overspends then they can protect frontline services.’
Kemp is due to meet Clegg to raise concerns about the settlement on Monday.
