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POLICY AND POLITICS

Now is not the time for threats and top-down targets

It is time for communities secretary Steve Reed to ditch the threats to councils and head back to his local government roots, says Heather Jameson.

© flickr / MHCLG

The fastest way to make yourself unpopular at any local government gathering is to suggest more top-down targets or a performance regime for the sector. Add a league table into the mix if you really want to set pulses racing.

It seems that communities secretary Steve Reed has now resigned himself to the reality that the current Government can't get any more unpopular, so he has nothing left to lose. Hence, last week he launched his latest missive.

Heather Jameson

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