Councils will be the driving force behind the UK's recovery from the recession, Communities secretary, Hazel Blears, has told MPs. Ms Blears urged lawmakers to back her Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill in Parliament on 1 June, claiming reforms contained in the Bill would provide councils with the best opportunity to tackle social deprivation that might result from the downturn. Among reforms contained in the Bill, which received its second reading this week, is that councils are due to receive new economic powers enabling closer working with local partners and a streamlined planning process designed to kick-start development. ‘The downturn may be global, but the solution is local,' she said. ‘It is vital that councils have the freedom, flexibility and ability to support their local communities. That's why we are giving councils new powers to address the economic challenges they face, so people in their area can have the right skills and opportunities to make the most of the upturn, when it comes,' she said. The CLG recently came under fire for dropping plans to take forward community empowerment plans which failed to make the Local Democracy Bill.
