The suggestion of Michael Heseltine, a former Conservative deputy prime minister, to abolish over 200 councils should not be followed, say co-authors Steve Leach and Colin Copus in response to an article by Angela Rayner, deputy leader of the opposition. Heseltine considers the current local authority structure “incompatible with a coherent, properly led, local partnership with [central] government.” Leach and Copus argue that local government must reflect the identities of local communities, whereas Heseltine’s proposal would result in fewer and significantly larger “unitary” councils. The co-authors note that the two-tier system is working well in cities such as Manchester and Birmingham, in addition to London’s mayoral-led combined authorities, in which there is a sensible division of labour between authorities and constituents.
The Strange Demise of the Local in Local Government, written by Leach and Copus, shows that the average size of local authorities in the UK is over 10 times greater than that of any European counterpart. Heseltine’s proposal would only exacerbate this discrepancy, potentially leading to the disappearance of councils such as Birmingham, Liverpool, and Manchester, in which local residents would have less autonomy in the political decisions that affect their lives. Furthermore, a major reorganisation of local government would detract from its primary mission to serve the public interest by contributing to local economic growth and quality of life for residents who have experienced declining public services as a result of years of austerity.
Leach and Copus urge the Secretary of State to consider the democratic implications rather than solely focusing on a centralised approach. Research has shown that larger unitary councils do not necessarily save money, but they do damage local democracy. And the co-authors insist that local democracy and public participation function most effectively when local authorities accommodate the communities that they serve. While Heseltine’s ideas for devolution may have merit, the abolition of local authorities in favour of larger, centralised institutions would not serve the interests of local residents
Read the full article from The Guardian here: Read More