Local Democracy

Written by Vincent Cable and published in The Informer on Mon 8th May 2006

Last week's local elections were very gratifying for my Lib Dem colleagues. So was the relatively high turnout, which suggested healthy local democracy.

The election also raised wider questions. What are councils for? How do we judge whether they are well run and good value? People are often confused by the different roles of MPs, councillors and London assembly members.

These days, councils have wide responsibilities but little power. They are responsible for law and order but do not control the police; for the health and well being of the elderly and vulnerable groups but do not control the NHS. They are responsible for schools but central government ties the hands of school heads and governors with innumerable demands and tight control over finance. Councillors decide planning matters but are subject to government planning guidance (as with telecoms masts) and developers can appeal to government inspectors if their plans are rejected. Councillors are expected to sort out traffic and parking problems but have little control over public transport or levels of through traffic. Above all, the unpopular and regressive council tax is set by councils but heavily influenced by the level of government grant and the demands of the London mayor.

This said, councils and councillors can make a difference. Planning, traffic, drinks licensing, school admissions and other contentious matters can be handled more or less sensitively depending on local consultation and listening to local concerns. Street cleaning and refuse collection - including recycling - are clear responsibilities as are public loos and libraries where the government has little say.

In my view, local government should have more decision making powers with less central government, 'nanny state' interference and less bureaucracy. They should have more freedom to raise money locally. Some councils will make bad mistakes. But, then, local democracy will re-elect good councils and reject poor ones.