The LGiU are running a conference today in collaboration with Stockport MBC.
Jonathan Carr-West has been tweeting out the key bits of Andrew Stunnell MP and Cllr Dave Goddard, Leader, Stockport MBC speeches.
You can follow Jonathan here.
Key points so far
- Andrew Stunell: there has been very little space for councils between prohibited and compulsory, led to a dependency culture
- Stunell : “the bill is making a fundamental change. this is the big stuff”
- Stunell: “the localism bill is scary because it gives you a licence to fix things”
- Stunell: rules about predetermination to change so that councillors can say what they think
- Stunell: Not just about giving local authorities more power it’s also about making them more accountable to public
- Stunell on barrier busting 1st q who is stopping you 2nd q what are they stopping you doing?
- Stunell “There is not going to be a code of practice on localism”
- Stunell: councils have 3-4 years to really embed localism. It can only happen if people make it happen
- Stunell quizzed on Henry VIII clauses he says it’s “a little bit frustrating but is not really a way of exercising a lot of power”
- Next up Cllr Dave Goddard leader of Stockport
- Cllr Goddard: AGMA is the logical conclusion of localism. True localism strengthens local democracy and instills humility
- Stockport response to Localism Bill “Yes…. but”
- @AndySawford “just get on with it” was his message
- Cllr Goddard people do want to get involved, localism bill puts meat on the bones of how to do this
- Cllr Goddard: council does not have the monopoly on good ideas needs to work with the community
- And now @lgiu‘s very own Laurie Thraves giving insight into the right to challenge
- Most councils admit their procure admit their procurement process is hard for community groups to access says Laurie
- Based I should say on fascinating forthcoming research from @LGiU
