Friday 30 November 2012

Getting ahead of the fire


Small is beautiful so that is local parish and town councils taken care of. But what if you are large. Well making the case for large local authorities was the County Councils' Network at their annual event.

They took their cue from St George's Park (Football Association's Centre of Excellence) and promoted good practice amongst county councils but they were in mutinous moods with regards the department of Communities and Local Government.

Ministers came under fire this week from county leaders who accused them of overseeing a ‘pro-district’ agenda.

In angry exchanges at the County Councils Network conference, the leaders accused local government minister, Brandon Lewis, and DCLG secretary, Eric Pickles, of failing to understand the impact of benefit changes, the council tax freeze and a late grant settlement.

In a question-and-answer session with Mr Lewis, East Sussex leader Cllr Peter Jones claimed MPs saw the world through the eyes of district councils because their constituencies were coterminous.

Cllr Jones claimed that the New Homes Bonus and business growth incentive bypassed counties.

Buckinghamshire CC leader Martin Tett said his county needed to find £2m to fund the shortfall in council tax benefit when payments were localised from next April.

There was applause when another county leader complained at the late grant settlement this year.

Mr Lewis, a former leader of Brentwood DC, said: ‘We’re very aware that counties have a hugely important role.’

He said the finance settlement, which he indicated was now due on 17 December, was delayed because of the late Autumn Statement on 5 December.

In the Conservative leaders’ group meeting, both he and Mr Pickles came under fire over plans to freeze council tax for two years with a 1% grant. Leaders warned it reduced their tax base.

Later, Mr Pickles told delegates he expected the 2013/14 settlement to be ‘moderately difficult’. He joked: ‘Think of a very low number and halve it. Next year we’ve got to get serious about joining up functions,’ he warned.

A dozen counties are considering pooling business rates with their districts to keep more of their business rate growth income.

NALC’s chairman, Cllr Michael Chater, at the conference said:  “Growth and economic prosperity is just about the biggest challenge facing our country right now, and as one of the themes for this conference will have been much discussed by councillors and officers alike.

“How local government at all levels can play its part in delivering the type of growth that our communities and nation needs, while balancing the protection and preservion of the environment, is a severe test. But is a test I know local government will not shirk. Furthemore it is a test where I know many parish and town councils are stepping up to plate.”
 
“Take Sevenoaks Town Council in Kent, who for the past four years have focussed on developing its local economy, with the emphasis on establishing Sevenoaks as one of Kent’s foremost towns to visit and enjoy. Activity has included:
- establishing a job club to help get people back into employment and through the Future Jobs Fund getting 13 young people into paid employment;
- taking over the Stag Theatre and Cinema leisure venue, resulting in 25,000 visitors per month who used to go elsewhere;
- setting up the Sevenoaks Town Partnership, bringing together key individuals and business representatives in the town, to work together, share resources and develop ideas and initiatives, such as a town wide website, listing and promoting all businesses and local venues/attractions, and the installation of digital promotional screens in large footfall areas;
- leading a successful bid to DCLG for Portas funding, with Sevenoaks Town Partnership being recognised as a Town Team and receiving a £10,000 grant towards the provision of a vintage bus operating during the summer on a circular route moving tourists through the town to and from Knole House, the National Trust property just outside the town centre, where at present many of the 100,000 tourists per year do not visit the town’s shops and facilities;
- in July the Town Council opened a youth café - in response to cuts to youth services in the area - as a great place for young people, open after school, weekends and during the school holidays, which has helped reduce anti-social behavious. But it is also helping to benefit the local economy – parents and carers can shop, eat out, go to a show or the cinema without paying for a babysitter. The youth café is also being used for a young person’s job club, via Connexions, and as a venue for monthly networking meetings for charities and third sector organisations where free legal advice is supplied by local lawyers.”

All in all it was another excellent County Councils Network conference but did witness the first signs of local conservative councillors anger at the Coaltion Government, well only time will turn if this continues or is just mid term blues. But we on the other side we know county councils are really interested in working proactively and positively with local councils to promote community well-being.

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