CONSERVATIVE
Philip Hickson (Deputy Council Leader)

The current alliance of Conservative and Liberal Democrats exists because the Labour Party refused, in 2003, to enter into any power-sharing arrangements when the city council first became a "no-overall- control" authority. Our initial proposal was for a three-party politically-balanced cabinet but when Labour rejected this, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats were left with only two choices: to form an alliance administration or to leave Labour in power, something we could not contemplate.

After eight years in control, Labour had grossly mismanaged our council, hiked up council tax by more than 50% and introduced a raft of daft and unpopular measures on this city; we could not leave things to continue as they were. A year on, nothing has changed except that the independent member for Boulton, who in 2003 gave the Conservatives and Liberals his support, has now been replaced with a new independent member who wants to play king-maker without supporting one side or another.

This position is unsustainable and would give him a status completely beyond his position and experience as a newly-elected sole independent member. Local and national political parties stand for election on the basis of a manifesto, a shopping list of things they would implement if elected to be in charge of the council. With no party in overall control, the Conservatives had to look at the two other parties manifestos to see if there was any common ground that might allow them to work together.

The Conservative manifesto is very clearly incompatible with Labour's and cannot be reconciled. Labour are a high-spending, high-taxing, politically correct, meddling and wasteful party, completely at odds with our philosophy of prudent, efficient spending with low Council Tax, sound management and cutting of waste and red tape. In these important aspects, we at least had some common ground with the Liberal Democrats who share some of those priorities and an alliance was, therefore, a feasible arrangement.

It is not ideal, or our first choice, but a year on it has provided valuable benefits for Derby: the lowest Council Tax increase for many years, open government and better relationships with council officials leading to a leaner and better managed council. It is also important that there is an effective opposition to the executive.

If all three parties sat in a coalition, there would be no challenge to the controlling group and the essential scrutiny of the executive would be fatally undermined which would lead to poorer decisions. Labour now fulfils the opposition role, one group has to! Finally, Derby's situation is not unique. Many other councils now have similar power-sharing alliances to ours. It is a different way of working, requires patience and compromise but it is one that does work and benefits the people of Derby.