By David Williams
09 July 2009
Local authorities must be freed from targets and regulation if they are to improve services and save money, Opposition leaders have told councils.
Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman Vince Cable told the Local Government Association conference, held in Harrogate on June 30–July 2, that cutting red tape could save councils up to £1bn.
In his July 2 address, Cable recommended stripping back the new Comprehensive Area Assessment regulation system and almost all other targets except for those relating to social care.
Cable attacked an approach to inspection that compels councils to ‘compete for star ratings awarded by some unelected quango’, adding that there is no need ‘for a Standards Board with its disgraceful kangaroo courts’.
He also called for control over business rates to be handed back to local authorities, concluding: ‘As long as 75% of council funding comes from central government, central government will call the tune.’
Conservative leader David Cameron, speaking on the same day, pledged to scrap CAAs, regional strategies and plans, and ‘all those quangos, like the Standards Board’.
He said there would be no more ‘endless, pointless, top-down, soul-sapping reorganisations that have disrupted local government for the last decade’.
But the Tory leader admitted that there ‘wouldn’t be a lot more money’ under a future Conservative government.
‘The extra power I want to give you is directly related to what I want in return, and that is your help in getting more for less,’ he said.
Cameron would expect councils to help bring down the national debt and find more savings by reorganising their structures, working together and being more innovative.
Communities Secretary John Denham, who also addressed the conference on July 2, defended the government’s record on public service investment.
He told delegates that over the past 12 years Labour had cut regulation, transferred power to councils and increased local government spending above the rate of inflation.
Denham promised a debate on how councils could help lead national carbon reduction programmes. He also predicted more partnership working between councils.
Announcing a consultation on new ways of holding local government to account, Denham said: ‘The aim is not to make councils stronger for their own sake. Rather, it is about ensuring you are better able to promote citizens’ rights.’
09 July 2009
Local authorities must be freed from targets and regulation if they are to improve services and save money, Opposition leaders have told councils.
Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman Vince Cable told the Local Government Association conference, held in Harrogate on June 30–July 2, that cutting red tape could save councils up to £1bn.
In his July 2 address, Cable recommended stripping back the new Comprehensive Area Assessment regulation system and almost all other targets except for those relating to social care.
Cable attacked an approach to inspection that compels councils to ‘compete for star ratings awarded by some unelected quango’, adding that there is no need ‘for a Standards Board with its disgraceful kangaroo courts’.
He also called for control over business rates to be handed back to local authorities, concluding: ‘As long as 75% of council funding comes from central government, central government will call the tune.’
Conservative leader David Cameron, speaking on the same day, pledged to scrap CAAs, regional strategies and plans, and ‘all those quangos, like the Standards Board’.
He said there would be no more ‘endless, pointless, top-down, soul-sapping reorganisations that have disrupted local government for the last decade’.
But the Tory leader admitted that there ‘wouldn’t be a lot more money’ under a future Conservative government.
‘The extra power I want to give you is directly related to what I want in return, and that is your help in getting more for less,’ he said.
Cameron would expect councils to help bring down the national debt and find more savings by reorganising their structures, working together and being more innovative.
Communities Secretary John Denham, who also addressed the conference on July 2, defended the government’s record on public service investment.
He told delegates that over the past 12 years Labour had cut regulation, transferred power to councils and increased local government spending above the rate of inflation.
Denham promised a debate on how councils could help lead national carbon reduction programmes. He also predicted more partnership working between councils.
Announcing a consultation on new ways of holding local government to account, Denham said: ‘The aim is not to make councils stronger for their own sake. Rather, it is about ensuring you are better able to promote citizens’ rights.’
