Who is Kay Cutts?

In Kay Cutts’ office at County Hall, over her desk, hangs a portrait of her idol: Margaret Thatcher.

Cutts often talks about the supposed need to reduce the council’s “monopoly” by selling off services.

“Generally speaking,” she says, “whenever we ask members of the public what they think, they say the public sector is too large.”

Cutts claims the council’s budget is a “diminishing cake”.

But she still found £12,000 to spend on a council garden party—and £11,000 to refurbish her offices.