COUNCIL Tax could be slashed if all Monmouthshire Council's services were privatised, says an election hopeful in Chepstow.

The council is currently the largest employer in the county and directly provides services from schools to meals on wheels and road sweeping.

But if Roy Garner – the Conservative candidate in Larkfield – had his way the council in its current form would effectively be scrapped and replaced with a "commissioning" body that would set up contracts with private providers.

He points to Selby in Yorkshire where the district council has already gone down that route.

Although not official party policy he says his idea is popular among fellow Tories and goes down well on the doorstep.

He said: "People aren't particularly interested in who provides the service as long as they are getting a quality service that is value for money.

"As I've been going around the ward, people have been telling me it's a good idea.

"I don't think there is a service that could not be provided by the private sector."

Mr Garner, a former Bristol City Council housing officer, said the change could be made without large-scale redundancies or a reduction in terms and conditions for workers.

He added there would still be an important role for councillors in setting service levels and championing concerns of residents.

The Liberal Democrat and Labour candidates both said the idea was impracticable.

Lib Dem Phyl Hobson, the sitting councillor for Larkfield, said: "This is just wishful thinking. The savings are not there to make significant cuts in Council Tax.

"There are questions to be asked about why some services are so expensive when they are provided by the council but in reality the only way to cut Council Tax would be to slash services.

"I don't think most people in Larkfield would agree libraries being closed or less road maintenance because that is the sort of thing we would be looking at."

Labour's Brian Counsell said there did not appear to be much appetite for privatisation by the Tory administration.

He said: "They have just agreed to spend £5 million on a new cattle market in Abergavenny.

"We say that money should go to education and it would mean an immediate start on a new building for (the fire-damaged) Thornwell School."