Conservatives have always believed in the value of hard work and aspiration, especially when helping families and small businesses to get ahead. This means local councils have a solemn duty to ease the burden on taxpayers and ensure their money is spent wisely. But we have seen the City council waste public money on pet projects instead of people's priorities.
City council services impact so many aspects of our day to day lives. The future of our green spaces, public transport, social housing, and waste collection, and how they are funded, are all shaped by local elections. On average, Labour councils charge £80 a year more in council tax for Band D homes than Conservative councils. The Labour Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has decided to triple the mayoral precept from £12 to £36 a year.
At the same time that tax is going up, services are being reduced by Labour's and the Liberal Democrats' four-day week trial. The City council has cancelled major community events like the Bonfire Night fireworks and the Big Weekend. Local people deserve a full- time council and should not be paying more for less. As Conservatives, we believe in protecting these vital services while keeping council tax as low as possible.