The General Election seems a long time ago now but as Acting Returning Officer for the Stafford and Stone Constituencies I was especially pleased that once again we managed a turnout well above the National average and avoided some of the difficulties experienced in other parts of the Country.
The Coalition Government has wasted little time in getting down to business, in particular the need to reduce the size of the deficit. Local Government recognises that it has to play its part and here at Stafford, we are anticipating a significant reduction in the amount of money we receive from the Government. We have already considerably slimmed down the size of our organisation, reducing our total staff numbers some 12.5% by natural wastage over the last two years. We know we have to find even more savings and develop more effective ways of working if frontline services are not to be significantly reduced.
On a more positive note, what is becoming clear is that the Government is intent on freeing Local Government from many of the requirements imposed by Central Government, and to give local councils more freedom to shape policies and deliver services in ways which suit their particular community. Nowhere else is this more apparent than in planning where the so called Regional Spatial Strategies have been abolished with greater powers to be given to local councils to deliver their own planning policies. We will be looking at the implications of this but of course greater local freedoms does not mean development comes to an end. If Stafford is to remain a prosperous place it needs new homes, new employment sites and improved town centre facilities.
The Stafford economy has emerged from the recession in relatively good shape, with the number of people seeking Jobseekers Allowance well below the National average. But we also know that because Stafford is the County Town it also has a higher percentage of jobs within the public sector. We are therefore looking at the likely impact of public sector cutbacks on the local economy and will continue to progress our plans for new employment sites and town centre expansion. In the emergency budget the Government announced a £1 billion regional development fund designed to help areas like Stafford offset the impact of public sector cuts and we will be working with Staffordshire County Council to see whether we can obtain some of this new funding.
Ian Thompson
Chief Executive
ianthompson@staffordbc.gov.uk
