Cllr Dave Wilcox believes the White Paper can make a positive contribution to local government Soon after the launch of the Local Government White Paper, I was having a quiet drink with a mate, who revealed he was pleased to learn that changes to the Councillor code of conduct would mean he was going to be able to express a view on planning matters. On the powers to speak out on licensing, he was more sanguine. If one needed to demonstrate an interest in alcohol no greater than others in the ward, he had serious doubts as to how many councillors might be eligible to sit on licensing panels, never mind speak. It was just a tiny example of how the White Paper is a curate's egg of proposals. Some members feel it doesn't go far enough, others that its so permissive it offers opportunities unimaginable only a couple of years ago. My own take is a positive one. The Innovations Forum of excellent authorities asked for LSPs with teeth some three years ago. Now, that is seemingly within our grasp. As the first among equals, and with the power to influence our partners within the LAA, leaders, mayors or executives have a unique opportunity to transform lives. More importantly, their role is strengthened by the scrutiny powers that frontline, back-bench and non-executive councillors will have in relation to those partners. Maybe I'm too optimistic, but it might even silence those who are forever whingeing about restoring the old committee system, and help them get on with the new job. And what a big job this is. In addition to scrutinising partners and community calls to action, councillors will be the recognised champions for their area. They will be mediators with their community, keeping in touch with constituents through regular surgeries and meetings, phone calls, e-mail and personal contact. They will also be area leaders fostering effective relationships with public, private, voluntary and community organisations in their area and actively monitor the performance of local public services. And, of course, they'll be advocates influencing planning and licensing decisions as well as sitting on the regulatory panels. With local authority organisations, executives, leaders, and chief officers understandably focused on how to make the LSP successful,l I suspect few have given sufficient serious consideration to the amount of time likely to be consumed by the backbench member and officers alike, in facilitating their newly-combined community leadership and scrutiny functions. The LGIU has already expressed concerns about capacity, but that focus has been about training to do the job, and recruiting a more representative cadre of councillors rather than concentrating on the time needed to effectively scrutinise the local activities of 10 to 20 big-hitting national organisations. And when it comes to the community call to action, of course, there's more scrutiny potentially in the pipeline. Effectively managing the time and actions of the frontline councillor is going to be a big job for all authorities, but surely we are up to that task, and won't make the mistake of asking the Government how it expects us to do it. Given my positive stance, what's the downside? In spite of ministerial protestations to the contrary, can we believe Whitehall civil servants will let go? On this, the jury must still be out. At present, in Derbyshire, we are wrestling with a missive from the notoriously-controlling DfES telling us not only the colour of the signs we have to erect outside our 40 children's centres, but also the size of the print we have to adopt and the font to be used. As my mate might have put it, ‘Tell ‘em to get stuffed!' Good advice, and it only cost a couple of pints rather than a king's ransom to receive it. n Dave Wilcox is chair of the Local Government Information Unit
