During the next 12 months, Labour local government – still influential, despite the electoral reverses of recent years – has a unique opportunity to sway the debate over the direction of local government in England. As the Government produces its White Paper on the future of local government, and sifts through Lyons’ recommendations, we will be arguing for an enhanced role in community leadership, with councils taking a lead role in pushing through new agendas in health, skills, transport, restorative justice and offender management, either directly, or in partnership through Local Area Agreements. We hope that the inevitable debate that will follow publication of the Lyons review will see a broad consensus develop over the need for a fundamental shift in the balance of local government funding. At present, the current balance of funding distorts transparency and local accountability, and needs redressing as a matter of some urgency. We believe this can be done by the return of the business rate – although doubtless, this would have to be phased – and will argue for a much more proportionate and less-costly system of inspection and regulation, which seeks to address outcomes, as well as inputs and processes. At the local level, councils and the Government should be promoting greater engagement with communities, individuals and interest groups by whatever means are appropriate to local circumstances, but with the elected local councillor clearly seen as playing a leading role. The object of Labour local government is to create a ‘citizen-centred democracy’, where local people recognise their responsibilities to the community as well as their rights as customers or service-users. Micro management from the centre by the Government must be consigned to the past. Responsive, effective local government, committed to promoting social justice, economic opportunity and environmental sustainability must be the clarion call of the future. n Sir Jeremy Beecham, leader of the Labour group at the LGA My vision for the future of local government would start from the basic premise that governance beyond Westminster should be truly local. Over the last few years, there has been much discussion around the subject of ‘localism’. But there often seems to be confusion about what, exactly, this term means. While voluntary and community groups do vital work, often in partnership with the local council, the fact remains that local authorities are the most obvious and democratically-accountable mechanism through which power can be devolved from Whitehall to communities. With their direct responsibilities for a wide range of services, and through their community leadership role, councils have the ability to shape and improve their local communities. Such an analysis automatically leads on to a rejection of regional government. Conservatives believe regionalism is a recipe for bad government, poor delivery and unaccountable decision-making. It is also a massive waste of money. And this is a view which is clearly endorded by the public – as the people of the North East proved. Under a Conservative Government, regional assemblies will be abolished and their powers in relation to planning, housing, transport, etc, will be returned to local control. Finally, I believe proposals for yet more local government restructuring would remove power further away from communities. By contrast, Conservatives would give councils, at every level, new powers to form Super Area Agreements on issues of common concern. This will mean they will be able to pool resources, co-operate across regional and county boundaries, and share sovereignty. As David Cameron said in a recent speech, ‘This is the way forward – bilateral, organic, bottom-up relationships designed and implemented by councils themselves – not yet another round of disruptive, expensive structural reform dictated from the centre.’ I couldn’t have put it better myself n Margaret Eaton, leader of the LGA Conservative groupTo quote Martin Luther King’s famous phrase… ‘I have a dream.’ In other words... a picture in my mind of the council of the future. People would be fighting to belong to it, because its function and purpose would be seen as vital to a thriving community. Young people would want to become involved, to shape the future of their area.. Councillors would not have to take career breaks to serve their community, but if they did, their pensions would not be affected and the pay they received would be sufficient to provide for their families. Decisions which affect people’s livelihoods should not necessarily be made by people who are volunteers. Cabinet members would be appointed on merit, and not because they belonged to a particular political party. There would be a meaningful role for the backbencher, who would be able to bring about real changes quickly and effectively, without waiting months for someone else to make the decision for them. Members of the public would want to attend council meetings, not just when something was going wrong, but to hold their elected members truly accountable, and to see if they were getting value for money. Local government would be allowed to be the masters in their own house. They would be able to raise money to meet the needs of the people in their area, and councils would be able to make their own decisions. Members and officers are currently suffering from initiative fatigue, with crucial resources and valuable time being taken up to provide yet more statistics. The council of the future would be free from government interference and unnecessary legislation. And… most important of all, party politics in local government would become a thing of the past and we would all be Independents, standing up for the community, putting the public, not parties, first. I did say it was a dream. Will any government ever allow it to happen? n Chloe Lambert, leader of the Independent group at the LGAA neglected inner-city park is turned around by local people to become a well-used ‘green lung’. In rural Somerset, a village launches an ambitious programme to reduce its waste to zero, and attracts backing from a community doing the same thing on the other side of the globe. Just two examples of how very different local communities are improving their environments, but with one crucial connection. Both led the way – but with strong backing from their local councils. They are highlighted in the LGA’s recent People and places document – which is the LGA’s vision for local public services in future. Both these examples were from councils led by Liberal Democrats. But what is more important is that they were about local communities taking the lead. Local government was there as an active enabler, but not the enforcer of local decision-making. And, if we are to make serious progress on tackling environmental issues, this must be our starting point. Of course, both national and local government have their roles to play – be it environmental taxes or providing a better recycling service. But this is meaningless if individuals and their communities do not feel empowered and able to make a difference. Our opponents used to vilify Liberal Democrats for ‘pavement politics’, working on local community issues. But we make no apologies for this. And when we look at the agenda that both the LGA and the Government are highlighting, what main issues are on the horizon? Services which have people at their heart. The importance of local solutions and local choice. Neighbourhood engagement. All issues that Liberal Democrats have held close to their hearts for decades. I’m pleased that other politicians have joined us, and my party looks forward to playing its part in delivering this agenda. Richard Kemp, chair of the Lib Dem group at the LGA n
