Local government finance is opaque. While Essex County Council has argued for a more sustainable approach to local taxation - see our 2007 pamphlet He Who Pays the Piper, which posited alternatives to the current system - we remain tied to using Council Tax to fund local needs.

Alongside a consistent commitment to keep Council Tax as low as possible, Essex County Council has continued to drive out efficiencies which have allowed the authority to improve the services that our citizens use and value, while keeping local taxation as low as possible.

In 2002, the Audit Commission recorded our progress thus:

"The level of general reserves was a cause of concern in 2000/01 when they reduced to £1.4m, but the council has taken action to remedy this and as part of the 2002/03 budget process established prudent reserve ratios..no medium term financial plan for revenue, and service and financial planning is not yet sufficiently linked".

By 2004, after a period of stable political leadership, the Commission acknowledged that:

"Improved financial management has led to a closer alignment between the county council’s stated priorities and resources.  The medium term financial strategy provides a transparent statement that links resources to priorities.  Good value for money is achieved by the County Council...the value for money of the county council services has improved recently as a consequence of the well managed 2004/05 budget setting process."

The 2005 manifesto pledge to achieve back office savings and deliver £20 million to support customer-facing services has expanded into an ambitious programme which by the end of 2007/08 had realised £42 million in cumulative net savings and intends to achieve a total of £200 million in net savings within 3 years.  For instance, we have reduced our telephone costs by nearly £250,000 by negotiating cheaper rates for calls (both mobile and landline) and by cancelling unused mobile contracts.    

We have recently engaged Capita to manage our recruitment process, a contract that will not only improve the speed at which we can appoint high quality staff but will also deliver £3 million of savings that can be reinvested in front-line services.

Value for money is not just about savings.  We are also making better use of our extensive portfolio of buildings; combining and sharing services, and opening existing buildings for community use.  For instance, in 2004, a new swimming pool for the school and wider community of South Woodham Ferrers was opened.  It was built on land belonging to William de Ferrers School with Essex County Council also making a financial contribution of around £750,000 towards the project.  In addition, this school also shares all its library resources with the local library, maximising the resources available to the local community.   

Environmental Stewardship

Consultation shows that citizens value, and are keen to preserve, our natural environment. Yet, at the same time, we are proud that the county continues to attract new residents who come to Essex to improve their quality of life. This creates contradictions - primarily the need to protect our environment whilst adapting to growth.

Essex County Council approaches this in three ways, by:

• reducing, reusing and recycling;

• ensuring the built does not adversely impact upon the natural environment; and

• promoting sustainable economic growth.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

In 2001 the administration’s manifesto recognised the importance of reducing and recycling. Essex County Council has continued to promote recycling, and is on track to achieve a recycling rate of 40% this year, with a pledge to achieve some 60% by 2020.

Protecting the natural environment

With the boom in low-cost airlines, Essex’s airport, Stansted, has grown dramatically, from less than 12 million passengers in 2000 to almost 24 million last year. We have suggested it would be possible to increase use on the existing runway - subject to stringent conditions such as 40% of passengers arriving at Stansted by public transport and a cap of 35 million passengers per annum. However, as set out in the Conservative’s 2005 manifesto, Essex County Council has campaigned vociferously against the development of a second runway, arguing that the economic and aviation case for a second runway does not outweigh the environmental objections.

Our opposition to the recent proposal for an 'eco-town' in Elsenham is grounded in a firm belief that the concept is flawed both technically and democratically. Local government’s arguments against centrally-imposed housing allocation numbers are well-known. From an environmental perspective, our opposition is based on the likelihood that a settlement at Elsenham would bring with it high levels of long distance travel to external urban centres for various purposes - an outcome in direct contrast to our commitments to reduce congestion and promote alternatives to private car use.  At the same time, development at Elsenham would damage regeneration activity in Harlow - drawing away jobs and infrastructure funding.

Promoting sustainable economic growth

Home to two classic post-war New Towns, Essex County Council is alive to the problems associated with development. With much of the Thames Gateway, the largest regeneration project in Western Europe, in Essex, we are keen to ensure these developments are able to evolve into vibrant communities, with adequate public infrastructure. Elsewhere we have a focus on Haven Gateway which includes the deprived community of Jaywick, Harlow and the wider M11 corridor context, and Chelmsford where managing appropriate growth goes alongside alleviating specific pockets of deprivation.

Delivering sustainable regeneration and economic success in Essex has required, and will continue to demand, diligent effort, unswerving political commitment and strong resource prioritisation.  Since the formation of a corporate team with responsibility for regeneration in 2006, Essex County Council is now recognised and valued as a critical partner in the delivery of regeneration in the county.  In just two years the County Council has brought in over £141.6 million of direct new funding to the county.

In November 2007 the Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership secured £137 million of Growth Area funding within the Comprehensive Spending Review 2008-11, as part of the Thames Gateway Delivery Plan (Essex, Kent, London).  In Essex, Basildon and Castle Point secured £32.3m.  Subsequently Essex County Council led the Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership Business Plan for parklands funding.  In late August 2008 we secured £11.5 million from the Department for Communities and Local Government for five projects across South Essex, which will leverage a further £13 million in matched funding.