A small, yet reasonably well-known Irish band recently raised the roof in Brent [west London], with a stirring, emotional and powerful rendition of Moment of surrender. ‘I've been in every black hole At the altar of a Dark star My body's now begging Though it's begging to get back Begging to get back To my heart To the rhythm of my soul To the rhythm of my consciousness To the rhythm that yearns To be released from control.' The cold winds have started to blow, the rain has started to fall, and the leaves have departed their branches, giving the landscape a desolate image. The beginning of the perfect storm is fast approaching. And the words of this song could not be more apt as we chart our course through the most difficult of seas – a new and difficult challenge for local government, our partners, the services we provide, and the communities we serve. The recently-announced changes in the Local Democracy Economic Development and Construction Bill in relation to mutual insurance are welcome news, but it somehow feels like administering chicken soup to a cancer patient. They do not remove the shackles of control and they do not empower local government to exercise its' consciousness for it's citizen. They do not, in short, allow us the flexibility we yearn for in order to maximise our resources and support and protect the vulnerable members of our communities. This, however, is not a ‘moment of surrender', it's not a hill, it's a mountain and at these times, local government is always magnificent. So, every night I have the same dream, I'm hatching some plot, scheming some scheme. As I know you are too... Nathan Elvery is deputy chief executive, and executive director of resources and customer services at Croydon LBC
