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May you live in interesting times. This is, apparently, an ancient Chinese curse – but frankly, it's my idea of heaven. I like change. I like new ideas. And I like challenge. So, am I already in heaven as local government enters yet another period of change? Well, not quite but I really think there are opportunities to be had for those of us in local government to grasp a multitude of challenges and opportunities. Over the past three years, it is clear that there has started to be an appreciation from all three parties that ‘localism' must be the way forward for service specification and delivery. With the exception of the permafrost of Whitehall middle management, and bean counters from some ministries, particularly education, there is an understanding that we cannot have a one-size-fits-all approach which specifies services throughout the country. I hope my party has always believed this. Labour are increasingly coming round to it because the party has not seen major improvements in many areas in proportion to the vast amounts of money which have been sunk into new programmes and policies. If the rhetoric of the Local Government Bill, shortly to become an Act, is allowed to flourish, then we can make major improvements to our communities by ‘shaping' them into the future and ‘reshaping' services for them in the present. Never has local government been more up for this. We are the most efficient service deliverers in the public sector. We are uniquely placed to understand what is needed community by community, and to tailor all public service delivery to meet those needs. My fear is not that we are held back by bean-counters or a lack of money or powers, although it is true that these do hold us back, but that we are back by our own timidity and our reluctance to think big and act boldly. Come on local government – prove me wrong! Cllr Richard Kemp is deputy chair of the LGA, and leader of the LGA Liberal Democrat group

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WHITEHALL

A heavenly period of change?

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