So much for those heady days of the concordat, just a few weeks ago. Local government minister, John Healey, has set the cat among the pigeons by criticising 10 local authorities for not being sufficiently efficient. There was, of course, an element of party politics in his statements, since most of the 10 are not actually Labour, and local elections loom in May… and we all know local government exists in a political environment. But, nonetheless, it is puzzling that the otherwise-conciliatory Mr Healey should suddenly bear his fangs, since his comments are not consistent with previous statements. For a start, local government was publicly congratulated by ministers for meeting last year's efficiency targets.The fact that the next targets are tougher is no reflection on councils' performance. They jumped through the last efficiency hoops. At least give them a chance to jump through the next ones before publicly slating them. And then, what of the councils named? They include Kent (four stars and improving strongly, according to last year's CPA), Essex (four stars, improving well), Hertfordshire (four stars, improving well), Hampshire (four stars, improving well), Surrey (three stars, improving adequately), Norfolk (four stars, improving well), Leeds (three stars, improving adequately), and Lancashire (four stars, improving well). Not a basket case among them. In fact, quite the reverse. The cream of the crop. Indeed, in one of the councils, Surrey, Sir Peter Gershon himself, the godfather of efficiency, was hired for his advice. So, why has Mr Healey singled out the best-performing local authorities in England and accused them of being inefficient? Has he become disillusioned after just six months in the job? Is he adopting the strategy of attack being the best means of defence, getting in quick before the LGA starts banging on about social care black holes and under-funding for recycling? If the concordat was the start of a beautiful friendship, then it has soured so quickly one might even paraphrase Hamlet and conclude that the ‘wedding baked meats did furnish the funeral table.' Michael Burton Editor, The MJ
