More blows to 'localism'

On the today programme today a councillor from Devon, who stood as an Independent because she was distressed at planning decisions being made by the local council, stated that she has now decided to stand for Parliament.

The reason for her decision is that having become a councillor she now ‘feels rather sorry for the council’ because she realises how little power local authorities in the UK currently have.  She realises that the only way to do something about this is to try to change things at the centre.  She is right, and I wish her well!

Today two pieces of news demonstrate the control freakery from the centre that makes life very difficult for those of us battling on against the tide in Local Government.

Firstly I read in a number of papers the Communities and Local Government Committee will today urge central government to tighten up the rules with regard to planning.  Currently, particularly where local plans have not been approved, there is real concern that councils are powerless to prevent real threat to unsuitable development in villages and the green belt. Top down ‘plan and provide’ housing targets were supposed to have been scrapped, along with the Regional Development Agencies that created them. Councils could make up their own minds with regard to plance planning we were told.  However there is a real suspicion that, in their relentless pursuit of growth at any price, the Government is reintroducing ambitious housing targets by guiding inspectors to fail any local plan which does not demonstrate a high level of housing delivery.The result is a free for all among speculators.

Secondly there is a report that Eric Pickles, who spends a lot of time paying lip service to localism and doing the opposite, is planning to force councils to hold an expensive referendum if they propose a council tax rise of more than 1%.  Currently the limit is 2%.  Of course Suffolk County Council has pledged not to increase tax at all over the next three years, but surely it is ultimately the right of councils to levy taxes if they feel they need to.  They can always be voted out if residents do not approve!

One size does not fit all.  The case for proper devolution of power to local authorities grows by the day,