06 July 2007
Local government needs to 'grow up' and stop its parent-child relationship with Whitehall, according to the Lifting the Burdens task force.
The panel, chaired by Nottingham City Council chief executive Michael Frater, says councils often use performance indicators as an excuse not to make decisions about their services.
It says councils have become so used to reporting mainly to central government that some use PIs to justify continued provision of services that no longer reflect local priorities, while others rely too heavily on instructions from the centre.
The task force's interim report, Bringing about a new relationship between central and local government and citizens, launched on July 4, calls for a 'fundamental shift' in the mindset of both parties so services can be made more responsive to local needs.
Frater wants a cull of PIs to ensure only those that serve a clear purpose remain, and a one-third reduction in inspection activity.
He called for 'a more equitable, mature and trusting relationship between central and local government, so that councils can get on with finding sustainable local solutions'.
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