Councils must have freedom to lead, says senior figure at Local Government Association
Local government re-organisation must give councils the freedom to lead, a major business event was told.
Coun Richard Wright, the Chair of the Local Councils Network and leader of North Kesteven District Council, told the audience at the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiif) that local government is at a turning point, and reorganisation must be about more than getting new structures safe from day one. He made the comments during a discussion on the future of local government at UKREiif in Leeds hosted by the Local Government Association (LGA) which also featured Coun Louise Gittins, the chair of the LGA, and Andrew Taylor, the Group Planning and Sustainability Director at Vistry Group.
Speaking afterwards, Coun Wright said: “Reorganisation has to spark real change: shifting from firefighting to prevention, from fragmented services to whole-place solutions, and giving councils the freedom to lead. Done right, this means residents getting help earlier, not at crisis point; services that join up around people’s lives instead of sending them door to door; and stronger communities. Local government fundamentally remains about making everyday life better so people feel supported, listened to and able to thrive in the places they call home.”