The way to empower local communities is by giving more power to town halls says Cllr John lamb

In his speech to Hale Central Conservatives today (Sunday 15th March 2009) Cllr John Lamb said:

"The government is busy publishing paper after paper, Act after Act on the future of local government. The focus is on empowering local communities, the suggestion being that as councillors we don’t listen enough to what you have to say, what your views are and what you would like to see changed. I think it is true that councillors need to think about how they engage effectively with the people they represent."

This was in response to proposals that local people should be able to veto council spending plans via a referendum and that people should be able to directly elect police commissioners.

Cllr Lamb posed the question that surely the reason for being elected as a councillor was to take decisions and be accountable for the running of local government services through the ballot box.
" The way you return power to local communities is by returning powers to the town hall! Exercise of local powers by local politicians is what will get noticed by local people and they will insist on making their views known as local spending and policy decisions hit their pockets and in a democratic system, that is the ultimate in accountability"

The full speech can be seen by following the link below:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/13291520/Hale-Central-Speech-15th-March-2009-Future-of-Local-Government

People Power - Recent referenda make politicians look out of touch

I had a pretty good idea that the the Manchester road congestion charge referendum would result in a massive 'No'. Ah! you might say, he would say that now the result is out. If you ask some of my colleagues they will tell you I was predicting a big 'No' in Trafford but I was unsure about the rest of Greater Manchester - although I should have guessed. How did I know? quite simple really - I listened to what voters in Ashton-Upon-Mersey were telling me and my other ward colleagues, Councillors Rigby and Whetton. During a Saturday morning in November last we struggled to find anyone who was in favour!

So, to my point. Government and by that I mean Ministers, MP's and Councillors, need to listen more carefully to what local residents and citizens are saying. The Irish told their government what they could do with the European constitution, The Danes told the EU what to do with the Euro, the people of the NE of England told Prescott what he could do with his proposed regional assembly and now the good voters of Greater Manchester have told the Government where they can stick their 'tax on going to work'. I hope the NHS listen very carefully to what people are saying about the proposal to add fluoride to the drinking supplies in the North West!!

Up the plebiscite!!