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The Conservatives meet this weekend at their annual conference in Birmingham, whose city council is also ruled by a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition. One of the architects of the coalition, Cllr Alan Rudge, looks at the lessons learned. The new coalition government is now in place, and making great strides to deal with the issues and financial situation which it has inherited from the previous Labour administration And while this is the first time we have experienced a coalition in national government for half-a-century, the concept has been working well for several local authorities, including Birmingham City Council. The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats came together six years ago, and have been working well during this period, making significant improvements to the services delivered by the council. I was one of the principle architects who brought the coalition in Birmingham into being, and I believe there are valuable lessons which can be taken from the local government experience to the national government arena. As the cabinet member responsible for equalities and human resources for the last six years, I have been working to create a fair and equitable society for all within the community and the city, with the task of generating freedom, fairness and responsibility for all citizens as proposed by this coalition government. So I can I certainly recognise the parallels and objectives between our coalition in Birmingham and the national coalition. Birmingham is, outside London, the UK's most diverse city, made up of a wide range of communities. This mixture of culture, faith, religion and different backgrounds has come together to bring about positive cohesion in the city. In Birmingham, we are inclusive and fair to all, so that every citizen can feel part of and be proud of their city. This is not an ambition for the faint-hearted – there have been many barriers to success and hurdles to overcome. It is predicted by some that it is inevitable the coalition will have fractions and difficulties. However, this need be no more so the case than when only one party has sole control. In fact, in Birmingham, we have shown that there is the potential for radical reform, if both parties are willing and able to rise above party politics and celebrate the common ground, with the overall aim that decisions must be based on what is best for the city or the nation. Differences can be acknowledged, trust developed, and a common view of how the city can be best developed be arrived at. Compromise with integrity and with a joint will to find solutions to difficulties is essential to make a coalition work, and with this, it is possible to minimise the partisan criticism that is levied. All local authority leaders are facing their toughest challenge yet in this new age of austerity. The task of creating leaner, fitter systems which still deliver effective, high-quality frontline services is huge. The new government is also facing the same enormous challenges. The task for coalition government is to find ways of taking tough economic decisions while still delivering excellent services, and achieving their political objectives. This will require everyone involved in the job to be prepared to compromise and focus on the job in hand, and consider the outcomes that are required, rather than who will take the credit when things are achieved or who will take the blame when they fail. The coalition in Birmingham has gone to great lengths to minimise negative attitudes and appreciate we have been elected to represent the people of Birmingham. And at that, we have been very successful. One of the things this Government has talked about is the concept of the Big Society which will bring local people together for the common good and to tackle shared problems. This presents all local authorities with the opportunity to work alongside those enterprising citizens who want to take up the challenge and take action in their local area. In Birmingham, we have predated this concept, and I have invested in the development of networks and forums across all different social backgrounds, faiths, races and abilities to empower the people of Birmingham and provide them with an opportunity to contribute and create communities which are inclusive to all. Cllr Alan Rudge is cabinet member for equalities and HR at Birmingham City Council

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WHITEHALL

Lessons from our own coalition

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