combat the government threats.
IN SHEFFIELD we had an enormous rate increase, 10 per cent in 1981, to compensate for the government's redistribution of grant from the cities to the shire counties and for the penalties levied for not Now it's simply impossible to keep on putting This year the rates we've managed with Labour in control for we've had " cars, substantial base to cushion us. Next year we'll have to find £3.20 for every fl we wish to spend.
We have local campaign to build commitment to collective services and to democracy. We recu LO Culalize people's experience of public services noW operate, so that they genuinely believe these services belong to them, and they're running them. • We are campaigning not just to protect individual jobs and services, but 1o win people comprehensive view of the wav the world's got to be organised. This differendiales social paternalistic welfare attitudes. Ine sociallst view Is Illal people have every right to have their hands on the levers of power.
only a certain amount can be done at a local level. It would need a socialist government to people's DuE ICovulles ai disposal nationally.
Our local ampaigr national campaign to stop legislation counteract the propaganda of the Tories. But the local campaign provides the essential springboard We provide work-time faculties tor the unions to organise their campaign it with every section dearlot of And we've put a lot money into supporting campaigns the community community groups, Collary oreanisations.
Let me make this quite clear... I am totally and uncondillonally in solidarity with the striking miners! f when that democracy is administered by left wing Labour all of whom are dependant on stopping the Tory attacks to survive.
The local Labour Party and the council's Labour Group tirm We're not in the business our democratic rights or cutting public services. Such a stand DOSSIDIC though if there's across the country. on a sufficient scale that an individual authority can't be picked off and wiped out as an isolated abberration.
Clay Lambeth are all examples of individual authorities who weren't supported by anvone else anywhere. There wasn't sutticient momentum enable them to succeed.
Unity necessary hecause the Tories , liave d coherent strategy. Look at une suce suriKe. the attack on the NGA and the print industry, and the current THE As a Labour Member of Parliament I will do anything in my power to help these men to win their fight! attack on the miners, not to menton privatisation deliberately restructuring the economy towards the market place The movement must work out where to go ana now to tany suppor rather than always responding to the cards the lorie. play.
At last year's Labour Party annual conference 1 moved a resolution which made clear the need for a united campaign recognised necessary in the future to indemnitv councillors 101 their actions in defence of La position subsquently confirmed executive.
Liverpool's position is difficult because it's unique. Thev are not only tac. ing the worst conditions of economic deprivation and industrial decay, they're after Liberal/Tory administration left nothing to draw on. i ney are wymg to nic a cumstances ine tense circumstances must all give whatever support Anything CAME to power in Merseyside, in 1981, we've altered our image we've popularised our policies, and begun to get across what the council does.
inherited a bad legacy. The county council was regarded as 'the local House of Lords'. • But have radically changed since 1982. We now have solid framework in which make radical propressive policies. Within the limits of the capitalist we're delivering sysleill. the goods.
Our campaign against abolition doesn't must res on the organised labour MOVCUCULA Until the end of the White Paper consullation period, January this year, our method OI opposing legislation to abolish the metropolitan counties has been to get the support from Merseyside or callsallulls This wasn't just labour movement organisations, it included for example the Chamber of Commerce large privale churches. The government proposals inevitably depend on lowering public SCI ViCeo. and the government assumes the county councils will easily achieve this by cooperation.
This is not case There has been substantial counciary support Tories council. Tories distance themselves from abolition. Our original the White Paper proposals was an all-party resolution calling for an independent public enquiry before abolition.
An opinion poll con ducted by Liverpoo Polytechnic SnoW same results as the London Seventy per Cell Merseysiders want to restrengte the powers of the counsil, only 20 per cent want it abolished.
We have carried out an exense duverse callpaign: posters on the Everton DusCs. football ground we've put leaflets through every as advertising on local radio. We've spent since October, and we'll be spending more.
We are explaining that abolition is wrong because it would stop Labour ing the things it's pledged • Keva Coombes funding voluntary organisations like unemployment weltare rights centres. im. proving public transport, and developing. industry through Enterprise vul Board The second phase of our campaign is to show abolition would adversely affect current services. we've concentrated on the dangers of the 1985 elections being cancelled. All the district councils the local Parties have LaDOu passed resolutions of non-cooperation with government legislation, we are discussing this with the local government unions.
This year we're staying within the law. We only need a 9.4 per cent increase precept • that's about per household per week This allows us to expand every service, without cuts or redundancies. And there will be no in tact we've reduced them twice since 1981 and expanded the system That makes the level of increase we need to maintolerable. If it werent, ises tain promises option to stay within the law wouldn't be possible.
Neil Kinnock has been saying don't reduce serDAY DAMN CANTY COUNCI
----- pull-quotes -----
adhering to government targets. While we were in a relatively prosperous position, it was possible to ask people to bear the burden of Thatcherism.
PiECE A
DEMOCRACY DAY on 29 March highlights the government's many attacks on local democracy, especially
authorities. Sheffield and Merseyside councils are both under direct threat from the Tory plans. DAVID BLUNKETT, leader of Sheffield, and KEVA COOMBES, leader of Merseyside, told Socialist Action what the government policy means for their authorities, and how Labour must organise to