Conservative-run Derby City Council has found itself lobbying against the Tory-led national government’s spending cuts.

At the end of July, a council vote forced Conservative council leader Harvey Jennings to write to communities secretary Eric Pickles in protest at the impact of government funding cuts on Derby.

On Wednesday night, the Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Dems all voted to lobby education secretary Michael Gove over his decision to axe most of the city’s schoolbuilding programme, which was weeks away from signing contracts when he pulled the plug.

The Conservatives run as a minority administration, with the Lib Dems not part of a coalition but allowing them to govern.

In late July the Labour group moved an amendment to approve the council’s budget strategy ‘but to actively lobby against the Government’s proposed 25-30% cuts in grant’ (see page 14 here). Conservatives voted against it, but with a few Tory councillors absent and the Lib Dems abstaining, the amendment was carried.

As a result, Cllr Jennings had to write to Pickles in his capacity as council leader, warning about the impact the cuts would have on Derby. The full letter is here.

It states:

A key message I would like to get across is how the funding cuts will not affect all authorities to the same extent. Highly geared, deprived authorities such as Derby are particularly vulnerable to both Specific and Formula Grant cuts and I would urge you to give this serious consideration before any decisions are made on funding share in the comprehensive spending announcement.

…it would be deeply regrettable if we had to cut our capital programme at a time in which we have a strong desire to create jobs for local people.

What’s this? A Conservative council leader backing public spending as a means of creating jobs for local people? Why yes, yes it is!

The letter concludes by saying they urge that further cuts are “are kept to a minimum” during the Spending Review.

No word yet on whether Pickles has replied.

[Derbyshire County Council was the target of a 150-strong protest yesterday over plans to increase adult care charges, led by Unison and service users who forced the issue into the council chamber]

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