Wellingborough Conservative Policy Forum

Next Meetings

Anyone interested in becoming involved with Wellingborough Conservative Policy Forum (CPF) can contact me about our group, or for more background information, visit the Policy Forum pages and the national website.

Sean Lever
Chairman
Wellingborough Conservative Policy Forum

T: 07973 910309 (m)
E: cpf@wellingboroughconservatives.org (Wellingborough)
E: cpf@conservatives.com (National)
W: www.conservativepolicyforum.com (National)

Introduction

At the 2010 Conservative Spring Forum in Cardiff, Oliver Letwin, Minister for Government Policy, launched the new Conservative Policy Forum (CPF). This important group meets locally to discuss future policy issues and is able to have a direct influence on the development of emerging party policy. Discussions briefs are issued regularly by the National CPF and Wellingborough CPF discuss these before making their submissions. There are no subscriptions or charges to take part.

The background

At the 2010 Party Conference, the CFP launched an ‘Issues Document’ which gave a steer – but by no means a comprehensive steer – as to the sorts of questions we’re looking for you to ask. For example, what questions will we have to ask to be able to deal with:

• an ageing population;
• new security challenges;
• changes in technology and innovation;
• our skills base;
• increasing pressures on natural resources;
• challenges from emerging economies;
• geographical differences in our nation; and
• causes of poverty

We want to think as widely and as deeply as possible. So, for example, thinking about developments in technology and innovation; what will these changes be, where will they come from, what will be their positive effects and what will be their negative effects?

The programme

As a basis for discussion, and to help in the process, we have produced a list of areas we will have to address in 2015. This list is just a start, but includes:

• ensuring higher employment rates;
• achieving a more regionally balanced economy;
• delivering more affordable housing;
• raising productivity;
• reducing the exposure of the banking sector;
• eroding income inequality and child poverty;
• improving child wellbeing;
• improving the life chances of looked-after children;
• ensuring elderly care is well-funded;
• protecting natural capital; and
• reducing the scale of central bureaucracy.

We will be using this list as a basis for our discussion topics in future. Some groups will meet more often than once a month, and some will meet less often. Local CPF groups don’t have to discuss the topic set – but if they do respond there is a process through which your responses get to the relevant Government Minister. If a local CPF group wants to talk about, and write a paper on a different subject, the National CPF will try to find it a home – perhaps with the relevant Government Minister or an expert member of one of our Sectoral Groups. In every case, it will be read!

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the CPF do?

The CPF is a national party group that gives Members the opportunity to discuss the major policy challenges facing Britain. The CPF is chaired by Oliver Letwin, Minister for Government Policy, and the national Director is Natalie Elphicke. CPF groups are active in constituencies in every region.

What is the aim of the CPF?

The Coalition’s Programme for Government and Departmental Business Plans set out a clear agenda for this Coalition Government:
• build for the long-term; and
• shift power to the people

By mid-2012, the Government will have fulfilled many of its Business Plan commitments:
• stabilisation of public finances; and
• modernisation of public services; and
• development of power to people.

But we can’t sit back and think our work will be done – Britain will change, and with that change will come new problems. We must look to the future challenges Britain will face in 2015, 2020 and beyond. And that’s where you come in. We want you to think through the issues facing Britain in the years to come:
• What will the state of Britain be in 2015 and 2020?
• How will the Government’s current structural modernisation programme change Britain?
• What are the likely economic, social, security and environmental pressures which we will face in 2015 and 2020?

How can you get involved?

By joining a local CPF group you are able to contribute to these discussions. Local CPF groups are encouraged to take their discussions out to the local communities directly affected by the policies we are discussing. The CPF are planning an exciting programme for the future with more opportunities for new members to meet MPs and Ministers to discuss party policy.

How does it work?

The process is straightforward.
• The National CPF publishes a brief on a specific subject (Paper)
• Local CPF groups meet to discuss the subject issues (Meeting)
• Local CPF Chairman collate the contributions and sends them to the National CPF (Submission)
• The National CPF publishes a compendium of submissions and sends it to the relevant Minister (Summary)
• The relevant minister responds to the Summary (Response)