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Councils to get fresh law powers Councils to get fresh law powers
(about 2 hours later)
English councils will get the power to bring in bylaws with fixed penalties without Whitehall approval under plans to increase local communities' powers.English councils will get the power to bring in bylaws with fixed penalties without Whitehall approval under plans to increase local communities' powers.
The proposed shake-up would bring in more mayors and elected leaders, with police, health and education bosses to face greater scrutiny from the public.The proposed shake-up would bring in more mayors and elected leaders, with police, health and education bosses to face greater scrutiny from the public.
Local inquiries on issues such as hospital closures and drug dealing could begin if there was public demand.Local inquiries on issues such as hospital closures and drug dealing could begin if there was public demand.
Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly will give more details of the ideas later. Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly said councils must be community "champions".
They are to be published in a White Paper which comes during the comprehensive review of local government finance, led by Sir Michael Lyons. He is due to report to ministers in December. The government's White Paper comes during the comprehensive review of local government finance, led by Sir Michael Lyons. He is due to report to ministers in December.
'Recast' relationship'Recast' relationship
"Rather than the government having to approve every single local bylaw, it should be local people that decide whether they want a particular law tackling anti-social behaviour," Ms Kelly said. Ms Kelly told the Commons that 1,200 national targets and indicators for local government would be cut to 200 indicators and 35 targets.
She said the plans were a "community call for action", adding: "We will focus upon things that really matter to people everywhere."
Ms Kelly added: "Our clear, overriding principle is that the greater the powers devolved, the greater the role of strong, clear leadership."
ENGLISH COUNCIL POWERS Funding: Revenues come from a locally-set council tax, rates for businesses, government grants and other areas such as parking ticketsPublic spaces: Authorities oversee street-cleaning and maintenance of roads, pavements, parks and gardensEducation: Services such as school and libraries are provided by councilsWelfare: They deal with housing provision and other social services such as meals-on-wheelsBusinesses: Councils ensure food safety and trading standards are maintainedDisruption: Anti-social behaviour, noise and litter are all tackled at a local levelBuildings: Authorities also grant permission for planning applications and set regulations for work on propertyENGLISH COUNCIL POWERS Funding: Revenues come from a locally-set council tax, rates for businesses, government grants and other areas such as parking ticketsPublic spaces: Authorities oversee street-cleaning and maintenance of roads, pavements, parks and gardensEducation: Services such as school and libraries are provided by councilsWelfare: They deal with housing provision and other social services such as meals-on-wheelsBusinesses: Councils ensure food safety and trading standards are maintainedDisruption: Anti-social behaviour, noise and litter are all tackled at a local levelBuildings: Authorities also grant permission for planning applications and set regulations for work on property
People should also be "able to go out and impose an instant fine if someone breaks that", she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Local people had to be consulted on all important issues, she said.
The plans would "recast" the relationship between local and central government in England and introduce "strong, visible local leadership", she added. More voters would get the chance to elect their own mayor or executive councillor, Ms Kelly added.
Alternatively, council members could choose a leader with a "clear mandate" every four years.
But for the Conservatives the shadow communities secretary Caroline Spelman said: "These localist policies are not worth the paper they are written on."
She added that there was confusion "between a failed regional agenda and a real local agenda", labelling the proposals "toothless".
HAVE YOUR SAY We don't need more local government, we just need a better government Andrew Smith, Leeds Send us your comments
Liberal Democrat Andrew Stunell said the public had a sense of "anger and apathy" caused by alienation from government.
The reforms needed to go further and change the council tax system, he added.
Ms Kelly earlier told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Rather than the government having to approve every single local bylaw, it should be local people that decide whether they want a particular law tackling anti-social behaviour."
People should be "able to go out and impose an instant fine if someone breaks that", she said.
In Wales, powers would be handed over to the national assembly.In Wales, powers would be handed over to the national assembly.
Tory peer Lord Bruce-Lockhart, who chairs the Local Government Association, said he hoped the plans would lead to improvements in towns and cities.Tory peer Lord Bruce-Lockhart, who chairs the Local Government Association, said he hoped the plans would lead to improvements in towns and cities.
"We would do much better if local authorities had the kind of transport, planning and housing powers enjoyed across Europe," he told BBC News 24.
"In Europe, we've seen that the gross domestic product of the major cities is now twice that of the cities in the UK. They have that devolved political autonomy, we do not."
'Welcome change'
Sir Jeremy Beecham, Labour's leader on the association, claimed local authorities spent too much time reporting to the government, rather than their residents.Sir Jeremy Beecham, Labour's leader on the association, claimed local authorities spent too much time reporting to the government, rather than their residents.
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, he said.
HAVE YOUR SAY We don't need more local government, we just need a better government Andrew Smith, Leeds Send us your comments But Liberal Democrat Andrew Stunell insisted 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."
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.