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.
