Forum Brief: Local Government Bill

Top performing councils will be released from Whitehall control under plans published in the Local Government Bill yesterday.

Nick Raynsford has unveiled plans for a "substantial" devolution of power to successful local authorities.

The local government minister said councils would get increased flexibility to meet the needs of their own communities.

Forum Response: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

Neil Johnson, spokesman for RICS, told ePolitix.com: "Although we have a meeting of our members to discuss the bill next week, at the moment we very much welcome the bill because it mirrors what we were saying in out response to the draft local government bill which came out earlier this year."

Forum Response: Local Government Association

Sir Jeremy Beecham, LGA chairman, said: "In recent years, local councils have become bogged down in a massive exercise producing plans for central government for practically every function we perform and more. It seemed to many of us that the government worried more about us delivering plans than delivering services.

"And far too much of government funding is now ring fenced and subject to centrally imposed rules. So all in all, councils have been tied up in a web of bureaucracy that crudely blunts creativity and innovation for local needs.

"That is why the Local Government Association and others have lobbied so hard to free our town halls and let them get on with the job.

"Today's announcement represents the most significant step in delivering freedoms and flexibilities to local authorities since it was promised in the local government white paper a year ago. The package for high performing councils is ambitious and will free them up to improve the services they can offer local people. But it is essential that we go further in rolling out greater freedoms and flexibilities to all councils.

"These measures today should be seen as a pilot for other councils, and the government must press on, urgently dismantling the numerous consent regimes which constrain local decision-making."

"The sigh of relief from the best performing councils must help blow away central government interference for good and allow all authorities to deliver better services based on local needs - the LGA will continue to press for the maximum freedom and flexibility to be extended to all councils."