The 2013 Manifesto: Suffolk Liberal Democrats (part 6) - the Local Economy

I'm not one of those people that believe that local government should be the primary driver of economic growth. However, local government can remove barriers and make strategic decisions about using the contracting process to support and encourage local provision.

Create a thriving local economy

More and more local businesses are feeling the crunch - even closing

The Tories have failed to drive economic development and oppose much of the green economy

Liberal Democrats will:

• give local businesses equal opportunity to supply the County Council and ensure contracts do not penalise local companies

• help local shops and businesses find loans and investment

• educate for local employment

• lobby Government to allow local plans to be developed and changed in realistic timescales

• promote the development of the green economy and the growth of local green jobs

• support and encourage sustainable local travel and tourism

• use the Council's substantial level of reserves as a temporary cushion against funding reductions that cause significant harm to frontline services and the economy

Like a number of other people, I worry that contracting out services in big parcels tends to encourage a small number of national providers who can resource such services, leading to the risk of effective monopolies such as can be found in refuse disposal. Yes, relatively low-grade jobs are retained in the area, because most local government roles require someone to be physically present, but the profits leave the county or, worse yet, go offshore.

And yet, smaller providers can supply a more flexible, local service, and we have to ask what the overall effect of a contract is on the local economy as part of the tendering process.