News from Local Labour

ConDem coalition Queen’s Speech marginalises local councils

Responding to the Queen’s Speech, Sir Jeremy Beecham, Labour’s Leader in Local Government, said, “Proposals in the Queen’s Speech on education and referendums on council tax increases confirm fears that under the guise of localism the ConDem Coalition is bent on marginalizing councils and councillors.”

He continued, “Councils do not currently ‘control’ schools, they support them, oversee standards and admissions policies and link them to other council services. The Government is clearly determined exclude councils as much as possible from the crucial education agenda, rely on market forces to rule the roost, while retaining ultimate control themselves.

“One-way referendums on council tax and referendums on any issue substantially dilute the principle of representative democracy and accountability through local elections – the Government would not subject itself to this kind of process. Even the superficially attractive proposals around housing and planning in reality are a charter for nimbyism rather than a responsible approach to difficult questions of development, in which few councils can be entirely autonomous.

“Directly elected police commissioners, under whatever name, and directly elected members of NHS bodies will further fragment local governance between people and bodies with competing mandates- a recipe for conflict and confusion.

“Significantly there is no mention of councils’ role in tackling the growing housing crisis, the reduction of re-offending and its enormous cost, or in relation to social care.

“Labour councillors are clear that this is not the kind of agenda for which we entered local government. Many Tory and Lib Dem councillors must share that view. What will they be prepared to say and do to encourage the Coalition to think again and strive to achieve consensus across the local government spectrum?”

Other news from Local Labour

• Where is the Chancellor's ambition for our communities? - 23 March 2011
• The most dire financial settlement ever witnessed for local government - 14 December 2010
• Eric Pickles gives with one hand and takes away with another - 14 December 2010