Localism - A Conservative view

In response, and to balance out the earlier post, one of our Conservative consultants has given his views on the Localism concept below......................

Localism Bill - A Conservative view

The Localism Bill has been applauded for its emphasis on decentralisation and is seen as a first crucial step away from the top-down and inefficient system inherited from the last Labour Government. It was conceived as a way of releasing local councils from the controlling hand of the oligarchical State and enabling them increased autonomy, thus accountability and economic efficiency.

Eric Pickles today stated that:

“For too long, central government has kept local government on a tight leash, strangling the life out of councils. This has stopped councils doing anything without running to ministers first. It means that local public services are run on the whims of bureaucrats many miles away. It has stopped councils from using their creativity to improve services and from focusing on what residents want.”

The system of control over local government by the State has had a two-fold effect: first, it has bred complacency among local councils. They have found a convenient scape-goat on which to pass the buck. Second, it has resulted in apathy among the general public who realise that their local council is essentially powerless up against the State’s bureaucrats- resulting in declining turn-outs in local elections.

The Bill has been described as a “triumph for democracy” on two fronts. First, by increasing the powers of locally elected Councillors to set up services and to better create tailored responses to the financial challenges ahead. Second, by empowering local individuals:

• Communities can question how services - such as children's centres, care homes and transport - are being run and potentially take them over.

• Directly elected mayors in 12 cities.

• More power for local people to overrule planning decisions, decide where new homes should go and protect green spaces.

• Powers for people to approve or veto "excessive" council tax rises.

• Giving local people and organisations the right to buy community assets like shops, pubs and libraries. If a council decides to sell a property community organisations will get extra time to develop their bid.

Critics of the Bill have argued that it amounts to no more than “swingeing cuts”. In the short term these cuts will of course be felt. The logic behind the Localism Bill, however, is that by granting councils greater autonomy and, by proxy, accountability, they will rise above the simplistic mindset that you can solve problems simply by throwing money at them. As such the Localism Bill is the long-awaited shot in the arm needed to deliver the public, faced with continually rising Council Tax bills, a remedy from the disease of local government profligacy.

George Saliagopoulos, Curtin&Co Conservative consultant