The annual political conference season is always an odd time of year.

Political activists and representatives flock to their party’s gatherings along with PR companies, pressure groups and, of course, journalists. I often wonder how much the non-Westminster world actually takes notice of the conferences, aside from the leaders’ speeches at least.

This year, however, I was really pleased to hear good news from the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham on Monday morning.

The Government has announced that it is to offer yet another council tax grant, allowing local authorities to freeze council tax for their residents in these difficult economic times.

This is the third year in a row that the Government has offered such a grant, providing an average saving to each family of about £200 per year... as long as they live within one of the participating authority areas of course.

Unfortunately, the City of York Council has moved with remarkable speed this week to swiftly rule out any chance of a freeze in York next year, despite the Government’s latest offer, confirming that residents’ bills will instead increase by two per cent.

Let’s not forget that council tax has already increased this year by 2.9 per cent! Not only do these needless increases in council tax illustrate a disregard for local residents’ money, but the rises have cynically remained underneath the thresholds set by the Government which would trigger a local referendum.

Frankly, if the controlling group at the council is so convinced that council tax should continue to rise, and that the offer of grants should continue to be ignored, why not put it to the test and ask local residents?

Regrettably, another troublesome local issue has emerged over the past few week relating to our local Green Belt land.

Towards the end of September, the Government announced that it would be consulting on the revocation of the Yorkshire and Humber’s Regional Strategies.

These strategies have traditionally formed part of local communities’ planning policies by clearly defining Green Belt areas.

In the past, the City of York Council has failed to adopt Green Belt land, leaving it to the Regional Strategies to offer suitable protection.

As such, in preparation for these proposed reforms, the City of York Council, along with other local authority across the Yorkshire regions, were urged to draw up and adopt Local Plans, to ensure that their own environmental policies were agreed and safeguarded at a local level.

Unfortunately, however, the City of York Council has failed to adopt a Local Plan in time and as such York’s Green Belt land could well be at risk.

The Government has noticed the problem here in York and it will fall to them to ensure that our green land is not at risk whilst the council finally pulls together its Local Plan.

When it comes to the Green Belt, failing to produce adequate protection at local level is simply not good enough.

On a more positive front, I am continuing to work with businesses across York to promote support for local transport infrastructure projects.

We all know that our city needs substantial financial investment if we are to upgrade our infrastructure and remain economically competitive.

The businesses which make up my local transport group are some of York’s biggest employers and they are united on the need to champion local transport projects.

On such crucial long-term matters, it is also essential that local politicians unite and lobby with a single voice for the funding we need.

Over the coming months we will be working hard to push our recommendations at local and national level.