Communities secretary, Hazel Blears, has praised a new campaign by London Councils to encourage more people to stand at local elections. Speaking at the seventh London Summit on Saturday, Ms Blears welcomed the London Councils ‘Be a councillor' campaign. ‘If London authorities can make the most of the opportunities over the next few years – and show the bolder, more representative, more connected leadership that people are looking for – then I believe they can stay ahead of the pack, and keep making a real difference for the people they serve,' said Ms Blears. She also said the Government would continue to work with mayor Boris Johnson to ‘address London's challenges'. ‘If the first way London can be in the vanguard is through bolder leadership, the second is through connecting with local people,' said Ms Blears. London Councils chairman, Merrick Cockell, told the summit councils should be given more control over local services. Mr Johnson called for councils and the police to work together to tackle the issue of knife crime, which he said was a ‘pointless, squalid and moronic' scourge.
