Policy Announcements, Friday 02 March

Government

• OGCbuying.solutions has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with SAP, a business software provider. This new agreement will offer all public sector organisations preferential pricing arrangements on SAP software and services. The agreement came into effect on 1st January 2007 and will deliver potential savings of £45 million over the three year duration of the agreement.
• The Chewing Gum Action Group, chaired by Defra, has invited local authorities to apply for paid-for advertising to support campaigns to tackle the issue of chewing gum litter, after the 2006 campaigns saw reductions in gum litter of up to 72%.

**Conservatives  **

• The Conservatives are expected to make a major policy announcement on council tax to launch their Welsh spring conference in Cardiff. The BBC understands the party will pledge to help those on fixed incomes "worst affected" by rising bills if it wins power in May's assembly elections.  
• The deputy leader of Sutton's Conservative group has been stripped of his post after admitting he does not recycle because he is too busy. Councillor Peter Geiringer claimed that due to all of the committee meetings he attends he does not have time to recycle his waste.  

Liberal Democrats  

• Sir Menzies Campbell has vowed to get angry on behalf of Britain's "frustrated majority" as he marks his first year as Liberal Democrat leader. "Last year was about stability - next year is about voicing the anger on behalf of the British people," said Sir Menzies. "There will be a change in the party nationally and in my leadership. It is time that someone spoke up for the frustrated majority. In the next year I will personally lead parliamentary campaigns and speak for the frustrated majority. This is what Britain needs and deserves. "