Cuts to local council funding from national government are a fact of life that Derby City Council must deal with like other councils all across the country.
About a third of funding for Derby's services comes from Westminster and is controlled tightly, with cuts continuing. Changes to this funding can only be successful when made rationally with clear facts to back them up, and in cooperation with other Local Authorities.
Derby's previous Labour leadership failed to work widely with other councils and just focused on emotion and endlessly blaming others. Labour wasted money and didn't spend based on evidence in consultation with local people, but on pet projects and in favoured areas without measurable objectives and poorly managed projects like the A52 upgrade that's overspent by tens of millions. Under the new administration things are improving, but there is still too little sign that the government is listening and much work remains to do.
We will enable the people of Derby to take an active part in running and supporting their local communities. We believe that communities are strengthened by people working together to improve community involvement and local facilities, rather than being run solely from the Council House.
We will -