Communities and Local Government
A selection of images representing communities.
Direct contact 020 7944 4400- contactus@communities.gov.uk
- Local government
- Strategies and reviews
- Strong and prosperous communities
- Key policies
- Responsive services
Responsive services and empowered communities
Citizens and communities want a bigger say in the services they receive and in shaping the places where they live. The best councils and councillors already work closely with their citizens and communities. We want this to be the case everywhere - for people to be given more control over their lives; consulted and involved in running services; informed about the quality of services in their area; and enabled to call local agencies to account if services fail to meet their needs.
We will encourage councils to develop neighbourhood charters setting out local standards and priorities; to manage services at the level of the neighbourhood; to work more closely with neighbourhood policing teams; and to give councillors small budgets to tackle local issues.
We will simplify the process for setting up tenant management organisations. And we are considering ways for communities to play a bigger part by managing or owning community assets.
We will back this through a stronger legal framework to require local authorities and other best value authorities to secure the participation of local citizens and communities. Police authorities will be exempted from this because they already have statutory consultation requirements.
Local people will receive more information about service standards and be able to turn to their local councillor to demand an answer to their questions through a new Community Call for Action. We will encourage local authorities to put in place standard procedures for dealing with petitions.
The process for creating parishes will be devolved to councils; and communities in London will be given the same right to establish parishes as exists elsewhere. The power of well-being will also be extended to Quality Parish Councils.
To find out more, please download the 'Responsive services and empowered communities' chapter via the link opposite.
