But what about democratic representation for Londoners throughout all this. They are represented democratically by the regional structure of the Mayor and London Assembly and sub-regionally by the 32 boroughs and City of London. Some would argue that this is enough governance for one city but we would argue differently and say why is London the only major city in the World, where communities and people do not have a say or control over there public services on their doorstep.
The chances are that not many conversations in pubs or bus queues in London mention the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. Nor do local (parish and town) councils drop off the lips of most people when expressing views on public services in the capital. All for good reason. These councils has an effective force have been absent from the political landscape in London for over a century and despite their existence throughout the rest of England over the past four decades, their creation in London was forbidden by law. The new Act lifts this legislative bar and allows communities the right to decide the governance arrangements for their area for the first time in decades.
Now these conversations are beginning to happen in communities throughtout the city. No more so than in Queen’s Park in the London Borough of Westminister. The community there is first in London since the new Act has become into being to hand in a petition to the Borough of Westminster to start a governance review for London’s first ever community council (parish council).
Angela Singhate, chair of the campaign for the Queen’s Park Community Council and Queen’s Park Neighbourhood Forum, said: “We want to continue the good work of the Neighbourhood Forum, which is now under threat, to improve the quality of life for local people.
“In the summer of 2010 the new coalition government announced that the government funding to support this work would be cut off from the end of the year. However, Paddington Development Trust, our parent charity, secured an independent grant of £40,000 a year to 2014 to support a transition period for Queen’s Park Forum. We want a community (parish) council in Queen’s Park was launched by residents with the support of Queen’s Park Forum in the hope that this will continue to provide a voice for local residents that cannot be cut off.”
Importantly the group wants to work in partnership with the Borough Council and from the National Association of Local Council's viewpoint, we cannot stress this enough. Local community councils cannot be set up in competition with Borough Councils but to complement them. It is about building a local democratic voice for the community and building cohesion for the area. We believe the Borough Council is looking at this in a positive way to develop Big Society for local communities. Please visit: //www.queensparkforum.org/ for more information.
Could this be a sign of things to come with other community groups like Neighbourhood Forums, Residents Associations and Civic Society following this path?
Residents of the London Fields and Broadway Market area, in the London Borough of Hackney, have started a movement for a London Fields Community Council. The campaign was formally launched at a meeting in February 2011.
Local residents have set up a website which sets out the arguments in favour of establishing a local council and describes the main steps for doing so.
This campaign cites the following as reasons for having a new community council:
· A general feeling of remoteness from decisions currently being made about the area;
· Development pressures, especially on the east side of London Fields, which people feel they have little control over;
· The disaffection of some young people and a lack of local positive activities for them;
· A lack of service provision on some of the area’s housing estates.
It is argued that a community council would deliver:
· More influence over things that matter to local people;
· Councillors who live locally and a Community Clerk who can fight their corner;
· Better services for those living on the housing estates;
· Statutory Neighbourhood Plans
· A local slice of the Local Infrastructure Levy (from planned local developments), which would reduce any precept;
· Running some community and leisure facilities, retaining proceeds from their use;
· A chance to bid to run other local services e.g. managing the Fields and licensing the market;
· The development of other community facilities in the locality.
Please visit: http://londonfieldscouncil.org.uk/ for more on this campaign.
We know these community campaigns are being replicated in Wapping (London Borough of Tower Hamlets) and Surbiton (Royal Borough of Kingson-upon-Thames) amongst others.
The National Association believes that only by giving local people a real voice and say over the way services are provided will communities feel connected to their governance and democracy. The key principle must be to empower communities, not restrict the democratic process. People and communities should be allowed to decide whether or not they want a more localised democratic voice.
Ultimately people have to be trusted to take a little more control over the things that most affect their day-to-day lives. People and communities in London now have a right to set up a local community council if they want one. We believe that Londoners should be allowed to decide what is best for them and take decisions accordingly.
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