Local Conservatives have always prided themselves as being the party of business. We always welcome initiatives, no matter which political shade, to help our struggling businesses out of this current recession.

Now is the time to put politics aside and start using available finance and unallocated money in the Council budget to kick start our economy. We need to concentrate fully on inspiring our local people, and bringing confidence back to our local economy.

Stockport has just received an additional £841K of LABGI (Local Authority Business Growth Incentive) money from the government. This may be a small amount in comparison to the multi-million pound budget just set by Stockport Council, but it is welcome all the same. As this grant is not ring-fenced it will be carried forward with other money to establish a bigger-budget Economic Taskforce to address the local impact of the recession. The ruling group must now put political differences aside to use this money wisely to support the local economy.

We Conservatives have a number of proposals we will be taking forward to the Economic Taskforce which are designed to stimulate local economic growth and we hope that these sensible proposals will be taken on board. Our Council Leader stated that he wanted to see more political unity on such subjects as this one – so now he has the opportunity to show he meant it. After all isn’t there a saying, “out of small acorns, mighty oak trees grow”?

I will focus on just two of our seven proposals given to the Council Leader that we believe can help Stockport.

Firstly, we propose job clubs; for local people and focused locally. Personally, I would like to see Libraries/ Information Centres used for this. In my own area of Bramhall, this would be a perfect location and on the doorstep for people wanting to find work quickly. This is a worthwhile exercise which could assist all local centres and people, not just the Town Centre.

Secondly, Conservatives want to continue their support of Credit Unions. We hear in the news about the dangers, in a recession, of loan sharks and the difficulties some people having in finding safe, responsible ways of saving and borrowing. Stockport has a Credit Union and the Council can assist in making it a stronger facility available to all Stockport people.

All the Conservative proposals are designed to inspire and stimulate the local economy and support local people. Let us hope that in the new found spirit of political unity on this subject our Council Leader, “Call Me Dave”, endorses our measures. Remember, united we stand, divided we fall!

Cllr Paul Bellis
Bramhall South

This article, by Cllr Paul Bellis, was first published by the Stockport Express 11/03/09.