Minister Ruth Kelly dropped more hints about the forthcoming local government White Paper at a government press conference last week. Speaking at the launch of the Government’s action plan Together we can, the secretary of state said she wanted to put local residents firmly at the heart of the paper, which will be published in the autumn. ‘The Government is committed to empowering local people to shape local policies,’ she said. ‘As we set out our ideas to reform local government, the sharing of power and responsibilities between communities and local and central government will be essential to our agenda for neighbourhoods. ‘I am excited about the forthcoming White Paper and I want to see more people being able to have their say in the decisions that have such a profound effect on what matters to them and their communities.’ The Together we can campaign cuts across 12 government departments and encourages people to get more involved with their local communities. Last week, Ms Kelly gave her backing to city regions and directly-elected mayors at the Core Cities Summit in Bristol.
