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Local government as a sector can approach the new prime minister with confidence. We have a proven track record of improving our own performance. The Treasury's own figures show that we lead the public sector in terms of efficiency and, through the LGA's People and places agenda, we have articulated a clear vision of how we can play a wider and enhanced role on behalf of the communities we represent. Therefore, the key challenge as far as I am concerned is to ensure that the Local Government Bill pursues a devolutionary and decentralising agenda, reflecting our core belief that the delivery of services works best at the local level. Specifically, I am looking for a drastic reduction in the number of centrally-imposed performance indicators – currently there are more than 1,000 – to ensure that the remaining key indicators reflect local circumstances as much as possible, and for the Government to realise the importance of a sector-led approach to dealing with poor performance, where it arises. Local government also has a pivotal role to play in delivering solutions to the public service challenges set out in the CSR, which include care for the rising number of elderly people, the children's agenda, climate change and waste disposal, crime and social disorder, and the need to build more houses and revitalise our cities. Local government is eager to meet these challenges, but it requires adequate funding in order to ensure that it delivers on them. Therefore, the question that I pose to Mr Brown, as outgoing chancellor and now new prime minister, is whether the CSR will meet this requirement, or whether the Government is once again intending to pass the cost on via the council tax? Cllr Margaret Eaton is vice-chair of the LGA, and leader of the LGA Conservative group

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WHITEHALL

We've got a great track record

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