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Restoring confidence in local democracy
| Published | 2 July 2009 |
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A refreshed offer for voters is needed if we are going to restore trust and confidence in politics, said Communities Secretary John Denham today.
In a speech to the Local Government Association conference he will set out plans to consult on how best to engage with and strengthen the hand of local people, to influence decisions in their local area and restore the status of the town hall by boosting the status, powers and accountability of local councils.
In recent years the Government has significantly strengthened the powers of local authorities to do this - by cutting red tape and ring fencing; providing more flexibility with three year budgets and more powers to scrutinise, innovate and deliver real improvements for local people.
But figures from the recent Place Survey show that just 45 per cent were satisfied with the way their council runs things. The sense in communities that people could influence decisions that affect their local area or that councils represented value for money was even lower.
In Building Britain's Future, the Prime Minster stressed that public services must be driven by a 'citizen first' approach. Every person entitled to personalised, efficient services and action taken if high standards are not met. Every citizen with the right to have a say over the services they use - whether that be through more personalised services, by directly influencing the way things are run or lobbying councils directly.
It is this model that must form that basis of the relationship between every citizen and their local council. Getting this right will be the key to restoring trust and faith in local democracy.
Communities and Local Government Secretary John Denham said:
"Local Government starts with the citizen, not local councils. Every citizen has the right to have a say over the services they use - whether that be through more personalised services, by directly influencing the way things are run or lobbying councils directly.
"It is also a key right to elect a strong local council who can deliver prosperous communities and high quality services.
"We need stronger councils, answerable to local people, with real bite and more control over their local areas. That means central government prepared to cede some of its powers and local councils becoming more accountable for theirs."
At the moment too many people don't feel listened to or represented and feel that they lack control or influence over the forces which shape their lives. The reality is that strong effective councils are the key to successful public services. People do have power to influence them but there is a need to make this clearer and extend them where appropriate. In particular people need to know that when they go to vote they are electing someone who can act on their behalf in relation to every aspect of public spending in the community. This is the best way to deliver properly joined up effective services.
A new consultation will consider what further change is needed to make that happen. The consultation will ask how power can be further devolved to local authorities; look at how to ensure that accountability to local people keeps apace with that devolution; and how the relationship between local and central government can be put on a surer footing. Getting this right will be based around three key strategic challenges for local government:
- Local councils able to influence all public money spent in their area and ensure citizens get value for money. When people go to vote, they would then be electing someone who can act on their behalf in relation to every aspect of public service spending in their area. The 'Total Place' initiative will identify where public money can be spent more effectively and help get services which put the citizen first
- Local authorities taking responsibility for new challenges such as reducing carbon emissions and giving them new powers to do this. Local authorities could be given responsibility for delivering local carbon budgets in return for new powers to act. Government sets national carbon budgets but will explore how local carbon budgets can work best
- Making sure greater power is matched by appropriate accountability. As sub-regional organisations such as city regions and Multi-Area Agreements have increasing influence over issues such as skills and transport, they will need to show clear, democratic and accountable leadership and structures. The consultation will set out what these should be.
The consultation will also consider whether the best way to deliver these ambitions is to take a fresh look at the relationship between central and local government. This might possibly establish a set of principles which govern the way central and local government work together and the respective responsibilities.
Notes to editors
1. The 'Total Place' initiative was announced in the 2009 Budget. And formed part of Sir Michael Bichard's work on the Operational Efficiency Programme looking at the scope for efficiency savings in the public sector. Thirteen areas of the country have been selected to pilot this work. The projects will map flows of public spending in local areas and make links between services, to identify where public money can be spent more effectively.
2. An earlier project in Cumbria analysed how public money from national, regional and local public sectors come together in one place and how local public, private and voluntary organisations could work more effectively together on issues ranging from worklessness to climate change. This work identified improvements and efficiencies which are now being delivered.
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