The coalition is trying to redefine the political landscape of local government and the watchword is localism. The problem is the word means different things to different people.
While the idea of empowering communities is a positive political motivation the reality of legislation or policy that gives power to communities is very different – and they have no idea how to do it. Top down localism from government is exactly what it sounds – oxymoronic!
What we have seen is a government strip away the regional level, only to realise after the act that councils need to work together if they are to maximise opportunities on economic growth or be heard in the corridors of Europe. So they invent Local Economic Partnerships which are supposed to fill the hole, but no-one knows what powers they will have or how they will pick up where the RDAs left off.
It feels like policy is being written as we go. It lacks any coherence, it’s more a slash and burn of what Labour did, followed by; ‘oops we needed that, we’d better reinvent the wheel.’
Planning is a good example of this mess. The idea of decisions being handed down to communities only works if local councils don’t act as roadblocks. Unfortunately, Tory paternalism is alive and well. There is a predominant culture of ‘we know best’ and communities are finding that they express themselves only to be told by ‘learned’ councillors that they are making an entirely different decision.
Developers are hitting brick walls of ignorance and arrogance. Affordable housing is being undermined by Tories who just don’t believe in it. The old right and landed gentry are still in power and ‘they don’t want those sorts of people living near them’!
In the face of this Labour has an opportunity, because our ideas and principles can offer the kind of empowerment and grassroots recovery that we truly need in local government. One of Labour’s greatest failures is that while we built thousands of new homes, while we invested billions in regeneration and infrastructure, we didn’t regenerate the social fabric of communities and we didn’t promote socially rented housing. Physical regeneration can’t solidify change on its own, we need to renew communities’ self worth.
Crosland’s ‘good society’ is far more relevant than Cameron’s catch all ‘Big Society’. The importance of community, of freedoms to innovate and express local diversity, of cooperative society at a local neighbourhood level and social responsibility as opposed individualism all flow through this idea of the ‘good society’.
Simply changing government structures won’t reinvigorate our communities. Labour can be the catalyst for real change in communities all over the country. The idea that the voluntary sector can shoulder the burden is ludicrous, there is a fundamental role of the state to support and enable change.
Labour needs to reach past the town halls and directly into communities. We are strongest when we are part of the community, strongest when we mobilise people in a cause. Let’s seize the agenda and define the true meaning of localism. Obama was successful because he connected with people beyond the political class; he built a grassroots movement, what is Labour if it is not a grassroots movement?
Planning is again a perfect example. In Basingstoke the Tory council have left the local development framework process to the officers, they desperately don’t want to take responsibility for deciding where houses are going to be built. Residents have rallied and numerous groups have presented cases for and against development all over the town. The Tories have forced community to be pitched against community, and there is no political leadership at all. The Tories have chosen to ignore people and the anger this has created is very raw – this is Tory localism in action, under a Tory council, under a Tory government. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats are all over the place and they don’t know whether to oppose or agree with the Tories. Labour is therefore the only voice of reason arguing that the whole process needs to changed bottom up.
Labour can redefine itself by working in communities, promoting a new kind of political culture. Labour can reconnect with people and their aspirations because our vision of the ‘good society’ has powerful relevance in this new political landscape.
The other thing to remember about localism is that in far to many cases like those of Baby P etc its been a lack of accountability, professionalism and a variety of other failures at the local level that has been the problem. Giving the very people who are falling now more accountability could actually create, or worse hide, even more problems not improve them.
It is only with people working alongside the voluntary sector that our in a professional capacity that communities can have the help, support and guidance to be truly involved in a political process. Youth workers for example give young people opportunities and ideals that can then be channeled. Without them there is not the organisation to be involved. Communities cannot expect to understand everything they need in themselves, that is why professionals need to work with communities in order for positive change and not just change.
do you suppose Macshane was handed to the police before or after Ed did so well at PQT ? erm, eeny meeny miney mo …
I like the idea of the good society. It sounds better than the nebulous and inaccessible big society. However if it’s going to be anything more than a slogan it needs concrete policies to explain what is meant by the good society. Promote social renting? It’s not for you to want to own your own home! The good society also needs to be more than you should live in social housing but I should be a buy-to-let landlords with my special tax allowances and guaranteed housing benefit to pay the rent!
Tory Councils tend to be run by the officers. The Tories try to get the best officers that they possibly can. Might explain the mushrooming of LG top officer, particularly Chief Execs., salaries in recent years. Councils are in the best position to promote and organise greater local community involvement. This does not simply mean, for example, urging individuals to pop off to their local youth centre a couple of times a week to volunteer helping out with the yoof. It means organising a way of enabling local people, the ‘neighbourhood’, to take decisions and implement them with a budget. Does the requirement for a Council to consider the setting up of a parish council where 10% of the electorate have signed a petition in support stiil exist? People get fed up with being involved in costly consultation exercises only to have their views ignored or rejected with given reasons they cannot understand. Give them the opportunity to be actively involved in the decisionmaking where there are positive outcomes not just tell them they are involved in a ‘Big Society’ they feel alienated from.
Dave’s Song : I had a Big Society / I had it for my tea / It was really yummy / And I think I disagree / With all the naughty people / Shouting EMPTY CALORIE ! / Georgie Porgie loves it too / He put one in his tummy / He was washing pot and pans / For his poor old mummy.