Title

Prime minister Gordon Brown's much-heralded proposals for public sector reform Building Britain's Future are now with us. The emphasis is said to be on a ‘shift from the target culture' which has been endured for several years. The headline suggestion is that councils should now build new houses and keep rents raised from local authority housing – a return to powers taken away long ago. So, is this the start of a major shift of power from the centre? It is hard to say, but what is important is that housing authorities grasp this opportunity being provided. Why not try something radical with how we allocate social housing? Giving local people hope by offering them a new house will make a dramatic difference to their basic quality of life. Even though we are not accessing ‘new' cash, the re-allocation of money still gives the chance to kick-start the local housing market, and consequently, the local retail sector, at a time when optimism is not shining through in many quarters. Other proposals around access to health and requirements for local policing are key issues in rural areas. Our challenge as local authorities is to ensure we empower our residents to help them understand how they can influence what happens locally in the public sector, and enable them access services they require. This is a message which came out loud and clear in the Place survey 2008 results. If there was any doubt, the data clearly shows the vast majority of local authorities have a major problem in the perception of residents. There is widespread belief that councils cannot be influenced. There were very creditable results concerning people's perception of the area in which they lived, but local authorities' role in helping achieve better quality of life was barely recognised, if satisfaction levels were anything to go by. We have to change these perceptions and, who knows, some, or all, of the prime minister's proposals, if they come to fruition, may just help. Hopefully, the proposed policy papers on education and adult social care will give further hope of a real change in Whitehall's thinking, but it is best not to forget that old adage of ‘actions speak louder than words'. Paul Lankester is chief executive at Stratford-upon-Avon DC

Title

WHITEHALL

District View

SUBSCRIBE TO CONTINUE READING