26 April 2005
Caroline Spellman visits Hemel Hempstead.

On Monday 25th Caroline Spellman visited Hemel Hempstead Conservatives and addressed a group of Borough and County Councillors. Caroline is the Shadow Secretary of State for the Local & Devolved Government Affairs. Caroline was the guest of Mike Penning, local Conservative candidate, and together they fielded many questions.

Caroline was able to confirm and explain policies which if a Conservative government is elected would be most welcome to the people of Hemel Hempstead. Caroline explained that Conservatives are serious about helping to reverse voter apathy by returning control to Local Government and that a Conservative Government would decentralise and devolve power down to elected local authorities. The plethora of targets and the much hated ‘best value’ bureaucracy would be abolished. An early step would be to abolish the whole tier of regional government introduced under Labour, and with this the hated Regional Sustainable Community Plan which imposes building houses on our green belt. Additionally, the government grant system to councils would be simplified and made more transparent and fair. Right to Buy and Shared Ownership schemes would be introduced and enhanced to help first time house buyers.