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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Local government shake-up planned | Local government shake-up planned |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Police and health chiefs could be questioned on their performance by local councillors, under plans to shake up local government in England. | Police and health chiefs could be questioned on their performance by local councillors, under plans to shake up local government in England. |
| Jobcentre Plus and Highways Agency bosses could also be called to local inquiries triggered by public demand. | Jobcentre Plus and Highways Agency bosses could also be called to local inquiries triggered by public demand. |
| The proposals, aimed at giving more power to local communities, are to be published in a White Paper by Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly. | |
| Councils could also be able to bring in local bylaws with £80 fixed penalties. | |
| Ms Kelly, who will give the full details later, says that more mayor-style leaders and fewer Whitehall-set targets are planned. | |
| Local inquiries on issues like hospital closures and drug dealing could be triggered by public demand and could publish recommendations. | Local inquiries on issues like hospital closures and drug dealing could be triggered by public demand and could publish recommendations. |
| 'Bureaucratic overload' | 'Bureaucratic overload' |
| A poll of 4,000 people by BMG published last week found only one in five people were happy with their influence over local decisions. | A poll of 4,000 people by BMG published last week found only one in five people were happy with their influence over local decisions. |
| Ms Kelly said there was a clear link between public satisfaction and involvement in local services. | Ms Kelly said there was a clear link between public satisfaction and involvement in local services. |
| "Putting people at the heart of local decision-making and ending bureaucratic overload will be just elements of our wide-ranging reforms," she said. | "Putting people at the heart of local decision-making and ending bureaucratic overload will be just elements of our wide-ranging reforms," she said. |
| It is time for Whitehall to decentralise, devolve and deregulate Lord Bruce-LockhartConservative peer | It is time for Whitehall to decentralise, devolve and deregulate Lord Bruce-LockhartConservative peer |
| The White Paper comes during the comprehensive review of local government finance, led by Sir Michael, which is due to report to ministers in December. | The White Paper comes during the comprehensive review of local government finance, led by Sir Michael, which is due to report to ministers in December. |
| Tory life peer Lord Bruce-Lockhart said central government control had wasted money, sapped energy and denied local choice at a time of cynicism with politicians. | Tory life peer Lord Bruce-Lockhart said central government control had wasted money, sapped energy and denied local choice at a time of cynicism with politicians. |
| "It is time for Whitehall to decentralise, devolve and deregulate to set people free of bureaucracy and improve the lives of millions of people," he said. | "It is time for Whitehall to decentralise, devolve and deregulate to set people free of bureaucracy and improve the lives of millions of people," he said. |
| "This also means that council leaders must accept that the buck stops with them when things go wrong." | "This also means that council leaders must accept that the buck stops with them when things go wrong." |
| 'Welcome change' | 'Welcome change' |
| Sir Jeremy Beecham, Labour leader of the Local Government Association, said councils spent too much time reporting to government, rather than their residents. | Sir Jeremy Beecham, Labour leader of the Local Government Association, said councils spent too much time reporting to government, rather than their residents. |
| Local people will only have a bigger say in how the services they use are run if there is radical reform and devolution of powers Andrew StunellLib Dems | Local people will only have a bigger say in how the services they use are run if there is radical reform and devolution of powers Andrew StunellLib Dems |
| He said the White Paper proposed a "welcome change" in the relationship between central and local government. | He said the White Paper proposed a "welcome change" in the relationship between central and local government. |
| But Liberal Democrat Andrew Stunell said it looked more like empty rhetoric: "Local people will only have a bigger say in how the services they use are run if there is radical reform and devolution of powers. | But Liberal Democrat Andrew Stunell said it looked more like empty rhetoric: "Local people will only have a bigger say in how the services they use are run if there is radical reform and devolution of powers. |
| "That means giving councils greater freedom to serve their communities, scrapping the council tax and replacing it with fair taxes raised and spent locally, and introducing fair votes - as has been done in Scotland." | "That means giving councils greater freedom to serve their communities, scrapping the council tax and replacing it with fair taxes raised and spent locally, and introducing fair votes - as has been done in Scotland." |
| Meanwhile Dermot Finch, of the Centre for Cities research unit, said towns and cities should get more power to raise and spend business tax locally to invest in transport and skills. | Meanwhile Dermot Finch, of the Centre for Cities research unit, said towns and cities should get more power to raise and spend business tax locally to invest in transport and skills. |