OurKingdom is running a short series of posts looking at various aspects of localism and local government - you can read the series in full here.
Anthony Brand (London, New Local Government Network): Stuart Weir's first piece in this series rightly argued that a local government ruled through central dictat will not drive interest in local democracy. Nor will it produce the innovative, personalised services that 21st Century citizens deserve.
Few people would disagree that local democracy is in need of revival, but part of this process must be for councils themselves to try new things. The combination of central controls, local democratic deficit and deep-rooted risk adversity can make ambitious or innovative local action hazardous. But without it, how will they prove they have what it takes to reignite local democracy or to sustain vibrant local communities?
There are some grounds for optimism. I was intrigued to see the comment posted beneath Stuart's article, quoting from it: "local authorities will have to give that door a bloody hard push if [the concordat] is to lead to anything worthwhile." It is strong local leaders, ambitious Chief Executives and creative local authority staff, together with local residents, that will make this happen.
Local authorities need to grasp the opportunities now available to them. Across subjects as varied as climate change, housing, migration and waste management, we have consistently argued for bolder local decision-making. We believe that strong elected Mayors have already improved outcomes for communities on the ground, though the combination of strong political vision and effective executive drive can be found in councils of all types, political persuasion and location. Now these leaders - and the LGA - can push for more.
Local Area Agreements have started the ball rolling and Ministers are already fighting for the ear of councils in order to get their own national priorities on the local agenda. More and more councils are going to the Government with ambitious, well-worked, locally supported plans for their area. Progress may be slow and frustrating but councils must push harder, not be disheartened. The pressure will start to show. As Government deadlines creep nearer it will get harder and harder for Ministers to say no. For once, the media might even fall in behind local authorities, increasing the pressure on central Government to explain why their own plans are preferable to those of local people?
Local authorities can take the policy initiative away from Whitehall and prove that locally devised ideas can make a difference nationally. The best councils are already doing just this, not waiting for national guidelines but working out how national rules can be stretched to support local action. With a fragmented national politics, and a shortage of original policy ideas in Whitehall, councils can fill the policy void. At the danger of alienating Conservative councils around the country, local authorities have nothing to lose but their chains.
