Axe the Tax
Our key ODPM message remains the "Axe the Tax" campaign I launched back in
2003.
Working with ALDC and the Lib Dem LGA Group, our work arguing to scrap
council tax and for a Local Income Tax instead has proved popular in the
party, and, more importantly, on the doorstep. With one of the party's main
themes in the run up to the next election being "fairness", it's not
surprising that the pre-manifesto launch highlighted "Axe the Tax".
The good news is this campaign will be continuing full-on, to the General
Election and beyond. The Government ducked the issue of reforming local
government finance, by deciding to review the Balance of Funding Review by
December 2005 - but their indecision is our opportunity. We will soon be
publishing more campaign material on "Axe the Tax", including our revised
"Questions and Answers", and we are working on the effects of council tax
revaluation.
At this Conference, "Axe the Tax" will focus in my Spokesperson's speech at
12.30 on Wednesday and in Wednesday's LGA lunchtime fringe.
Housing
Affordable housing will become an increasingly important campaign for the
party, and has been a major area of work for the ODPM Commons team. Last
year, I published a spokesperson's paper, with Matthew Green MP, setting out
new ideas on affordable housing, linked into last year's Conference motion
on affordable housing.
The problem has been that in Parliament we've been winning the arguments,
and forcing the Government to act. In the Housing Bill about to be passed by
Parliament, the Government have now tabled amendments in the Lords, taking
up Liberal Democrat ideas for re-using empty homes. New "Empty Dwelling
Management Orders" will give new powers to councils to compulsory lease
homes left empty - potentially giving a quick and cost-effective boost to
housing supply in areas of high demand.
In the search for new policy and campaign ideas, the party's Housing Policy
Working Group is nearing the end of its work, and will be reporting to the
Federal Policy Committee in October. Its key themes will be the need for
more affordable housing, for more environmentally sustainable housing and
for a community-based approach to housing. Ideas include using new "mutual"
models in housing - in the stock transfer debate and for new forms of home
ownership. The policy paper is due for debate at the Spring Conference.
At this Conference, I'm speaking in various fringes about housing, including
Shelter's fringe on Sunday at 18.15 at the Highcliff Marriott, the
BSA/Shelter fringe on Tuesday at 13.00 in the Highcliff and the Centre for
Reform fringe on Wednesday at 20.00 in the Highcliff.
Regional Assemblies
The regional assembly debate is hotting up - with the referendum on the
North East assembly on November 4th. The North East regional party is
working with the "Yes" campaign and the Federal Party for a "Yes" vote -
immediately after we've won Hartlepool, and building on our successes in
Newcastle, Durham and with Fiona Hall MEP.
In Parliament, I've been highly critical of the way regional devolution has
been handled by the Government - especially the unnecessary link with local
government reorganisation and the lack of more powers for an elected
assembly. Yet, in my view, we must be equally determined to win any and all
referendums, so we can seize this historic chance of taking power down from
Whitehall.
There will be a photo opportunity, with Charles Kennedy, tying in our
support for the "Yes" vote and our June victory in Newcastle and with Fiona
Hall MEP, on Wednesday at 11.30 am outside the Conference Centre.
I will also be speaking at a discussion chaired by Peter Hetherington of the
Guardian on 'The Regions Question'. This event is hosted by the New Local Government Network (NLGN) and is being held on Monday 20th at 18.00, at the Hermitage Hotel.
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I will be speaking at a number of debates and fringe meetings at the Liberal Democrat Conference in Bournemouth.