Let charities do more urges Goldie

SCOTTISH Tory leader Annabel Goldie was today due to call for charities and voluntary groups to be more involved in providing public services.

She was set to tell a fringe meeting at the UK Conservative conference in Birmingham: "We must break the statist stranglehold on who delivers public services. We need to ask the fundamental question about what needs to be provided and who is best placed to deliver it? Government - central and local - doesn't always know best.

"I want the Third Sector to step in. I know they are capable. But big government, vested interests and fiefdoms have got in the way.

"That has to change. Today, I pledge that I will make this happen."

Ms Goldie was expected to suggest a proportion of all social services be contracted out to the Third Sector and a "right to bid" could be introduced for organisations to "set out their stall".