Essex CC has drawn up its own radical blueprint for improving local services and making the county's unelected quangos more accountable to residents. The council is pressing the Local Government Association to back its six-point plan to persuade the communities secretary, John Denham, to change and modify legislation to allow councils greater freedom to promote more sustainable local communities. Essex wants powers to set local performance standards for key government agencies and non-departmental organisations in the county, and freedom to set local payment rates for all working – age benefits. It suggests altering legislation so that it can hold referenda on local issues, and wants to see volunteering included as an option for all 16 to 19-year-olds, on a par with full-time education, employment or training. The county's blueprint also wants powers to keep all local revenue from landfill tax and says that it should share responsibility with Essex primary care trusts for joint commissioning of local, non-emergency patient services. ‘These proposals are another step in allowing the people of Essex a greater say in local service delivery, and local democracy,' said county leader, Lord Hanningfield.