Councillors would face a prison sentence if they behaved like Ministers during the pandemic - Yorkshire Post Letters

I refer to Rachel Reeves’ Saturday Essay, The YP November 4, 2023, when she outlined the disgusting and scandalous behaviour of our current Government in handling the Covid pandemic.

Firstly, to write off those who were elderly and vulnerable in favour of the economy and secondly to give billions of pounds worth of contracts to cronies and to donors to the Conservative Party.

It is refreshing and encouraging to hear from Rachel Reeves that the next Labour Government will pursue those wrongdoers with the threat of prosecution and redirect the recovered money to all those public services which have been starved of funding especially local government.

Most people do not know that the Council Tax, originally raised only 20 per cent of a Council's expenditure. Our Government, whilst feathering the nests of its cronies, has cut and cut its contribution so much that councils are, of necessity, shutting swimming pools, libraries. elderly people's homes, not repairing the roads and neglecting public parks.

Yet, if councillors behaved in the same way as our Government has done, they would find themselves facing a prison sentence.

There have been instances when council leaders have gone to prison for not having open tenders for major works projects. Ironically, they were prosecuted by laws passed by the government of the day.

I am pleased to say that in my 50 years of being a Leeds City Councillor, no Leeds City councillor has been found wanting on financial matters. I am sure we all look forward to being able to say that of our next Labour Government.