Simon Milton delivers keynote speech to 1,200 council leaders and chief executives

LGA press release - 1 July 2008

The Chairman of the Local Government Association will later today (Tuesday) deliver his major keynote address to 1,200 council leaders and chief executives from across the political spectrum and from across the country.

In his speech, Sir Simon Milton will talk about five key issues including:-

• The impending pay strikes
• Tackling the issue of knife crime, gun crime and gang culture
• The launch of the controversial ‘My Council’ campaign posters
• How giving councils more powers to veto post office or GP services closures could lead to greater voter turnout

On the impending pay strikes Sir Simon will say:

“Local Government staff are among the best in the country. We all agree that our staff at every level should be fairly rewarded for their commitment. But after the toughest grant settlement in a decade we cannot pay what we do not have.

“Sometimes we are criticised for the salary levels we pay to our most senior people. I think those challenges are inevitable and a healthy part of our democracy, but we must always ensure that our reward  levels are fair, transparent and stand comparison with other parts of the public sector. So all councils have to be prepared to justify their remuneration policies.

“I am sure we all regret that our unions have decided to take industrial action. But as there is no additional government grant, we cannot offer more than we already have as to do so would mean cuts in services or unacceptable council tax rises. I therefore call on the unions to end their dispute swiftly.”

On tackling knife and gun crime and dealing with gang crime, Sir Simon will say:

“In North Westminster, just two months ago, a 14 year old boy, Amro Elbadawi, was stabbed and killed as he played near his home after school. A tragic, tragic waste of a young life.

“One of the most troubling aspects of the last year has been its regular punctuation with similar reports from across the country. The overwhelming majority of our young people are law-abiding. But there is a small minority, often living in the hardest pressed areas that are disconnected from society and involved in crime.

“And councils are in the front line of tackling this, working with other agencies. But we can’t just police ourselves out of this situation.  It needs effective prevention and early intervention as well as enforcement.

“This is emphatically not about picking losers - singling young children out as predestined to lives of crime.  But it is about ensuring those at risk get the support and guidance they need. That’s why, at my instigation, the Association has started a project to understand ‘what works’ in prevention and intervention, and to use that knowledge to stop more deaths like those of Amro and Ben Kinsella who died tragically just this weekend. We plan to have initial findings by the autumn.

“By working together, by sharing what we know, we will be stronger in the battle against deprivation, disadvantage and the destruction of young lives.”

On the launch of the controversial ‘My Council’ campaign, Sir Simon will say:

“In local government, it sometimes seems the only popularity contests we win tend to be unpopularity contests. One in two people don’t like their Council.  The Council tax is the least popular tax in the country.

“No-one could say we come into this for the glamour and glory. One of the problems is our Morecambe & Wise relationship with central government. Whenever they need a cheer from the audience, it’s us that gets a slap around the cheeks. 

“But mud sticks.

“And it falls to us to tackle the perceptions this leaves behind. The galling thing is that this has been another good year for local government. Efficiencies are coming in whilst satisfaction’s going up.  “Seven out of ten are happy with parks – and rising. Three in five are happy with litter and waste services.

“Councils are the most efficient part of the public sector, bringing savings of £3 million a day. From dawn to dusk, two million people - the street cleaners, the social workers, the teachers, the health visitors – work to improve communities. But the people we serve rarely hear these messages.

“To improve our reputation, we announced the “Putting People First” campaigns at the beginning of the year. Today, we are building on this with the launch of “My Council” – a new national brand for local Government – so that people can see directly what a difference their council is making locally. “

On the political parties giving more power to councils and local people, Sir Simon will say:

“Today, the political discussion is increasingly being framed around the importance of localism.

“This balance of responsibility between local and central government and between the state and the individual is one of the greatest political issues of our age. There is a growing recognition that centralism has reached its limits and that power must be driven down.

“‘Localism’ is this season’s must have fashion accessory. Even the Prime Minister has been sporting one. But we have a chance here to create a new constitutional settlement which puts local government at the front of people’s lives. It’s an opportunity which is ours to throw away.

“If we can succeed in getting accountability and responsibility for public services downward, this could act as a catalyst for putting trust and democracy on an upward curve.  If people knew that their vote would keep their local GP surgery open or stop their local post office closing – they might be more inclined to use it.”

ENDS

Author:  LGA Media Office
Contact: LGA Media Office, 020 7664 3333

A full copy of the speech follows:

Sir Simon Milton - speech to LGA conference 1 July

Check against delivery 

Good afternoon.   

One of the joys of the LGA conference is that so many people, parties and places gather under one single umbrella. Our political or independent allegiances matter enormously, but so too does our desire to see local government thrive. I’m delighted to be joined on the platform by colleagues from across all the political groups who share this common and noble aim.  

The challenge 

This past year has witnessed extraordinary change.  Politically, there has been a transformation in the look of local government. Many of us will recognise these as the familiar swings and roundabouts of political life. I remember an LGA Assembly meeting in Bournemouth in the 90s when the Conservative Party group was so small we met around a dinner table.  We have all experienced the political cycle and it’s sometimes only through hitting the bottom that you can rediscover the sense of purpose which propels you back to the top. 

Economically, too, we have now moved into a markedly different place. Oil prices are still going up – to $140 a barrel from just $10 a decade ago – whilst the OECD is revising its growth forecasts down.  These are global events, but they hit people personally - in the shops, the petrol stations and their pay packets. And, whilst local citizens are feeling the pinch, it is imperative that local councils stand on their side.    

Amongst those who are affected are our own staff.  Local Government staff are among the best in the country. We all agree that our staff at every level should be fairly rewarded for their commitment.  But after the toughest grant settlement in a decade we cannot pay what we do not have. Sometimes we are criticised for the salary levels we pay to our most senior people.  

I think those challenges are inevitable and a healthy part of our democracy, but we must always ensure that our reward  levels are fair, transparent and stand comparison with other parts of the public sector. So all councils have to be prepared to justify their remuneration policies. 

I am sure we all regret that our unions have decided to take industrial action. But as there is no additional  government grant, we cannot offer more than we already have as to do so would mean cuts in services or unacceptable council tax rises. I therefore call on the unions to end their dispute swiftly. 

We are all facing tough times. Solidarity has carried us through such times before, and it will do so again. Indeed, the LGA’s entire existence is underscored by a conviction that by working together we are stronger than working alone.  We must never underestimate the importance of local councils to help local communities in tough times.

I stood down as leader of Westminster City Council last month. Westminster sometimes felt like “A Tale of Two Cities”. It is a city with some of the highest concentrations of wealth in the whole country, alongside some of the worst cases of poverty and deprivation.  In North Westminster, just two months ago, a 14 year old boy, Amro Elbadawi, was stabbed and killed as he played near his home after school. A tragic, tragic waste of a young life. 

One of the most troub ling aspects of the last year has been its regular punctuation with similar reports from across the country. The overwhelming majority of our young people are law-abiding. But there is a small minority, often living in the hardest pressed areas that are disconnected from society and involved in crime.  And councils are in the front line of tackling this, working with other agencies.  But we can’t just police ourselves out of this situation.  It needs effective prevention and early intervention as well as enforcement.   

This is emphatically not about picking losers - singling young children out as predestined to lives of crime.  But it is about ensuring those at risk get the support and guidance they need.  That’s why, at my instigation, the Association has started a project to understand ‘what works’ in prevention and intervention, and to use that knowledge to stop more deaths like those of Amro and Ben Kinsella who died tragically just this weekend. We plan to have initial findings by the autumn.

By working together, by sharing what we know, we will be stronger in the battle against deprivation, disadvantage and the destruction of young lives.

This Year’s Achievements 

This year alone, we have made heavyweight interventions: from climate change to housing; the environment and crime; from migration to local post office closures.  Together we’ve demonstrated leadership: from the Health Commission through to the War on Waste campaign.  And we achieved the best CSR settlement we could manage in an incredibly tough year. We won an extra £750 million for local government on social care - as well as a specific grant of £212 million to fund concessionary fares.     

We’ve also retrieved powers from the centre: removing the ring fence from area based growth; returning the education of 16 to 18 year olds to local government; and restoring our role in welfare provision and tackling worklessness.

The LGA also intervened in the debate about the proper use of surveillance powers.  I know that our intervention was not welcomed by all members.  But let me be clear, our reputation as a sector will be stronger in the long run for demonstrating that we are exercising thoughtful judgement on these difficult issues and are prepared to take responsibility for our own actions rather than wait for government to intervene.  Local Government makes a huge contribution to the life of the nation.   And the LGA Group should be a stronger partner in this. We have just sent a Development Strategy to every Council Leader and Chief Executive in the country. Through this we are determined to ensure we make an outstanding contribution to the sector’s work as it rises to the challenges ahead. Once again we have started to punch our weight.

In the 19th Century, it was local government which pioneered sewerage systems, educational reforms and water quality standards in response to the challenge of industrialisation and urbanisation.   And now, as the world undergoes unprecedented economic, demographic, and climate change, it is local government which can again give a lead.  This week’s conference will give you an opportunity to debate how we can add value to solving some of society’s most pressing needs.  But my central thesis today is this: we will only achieve this potential if we can demonstrate our readiness for greater responsibility. We must win the argument around central and local. We must win that argument with central government and – crucially - with the people.

Getting the Message Across: My Council 

In local government, it sometimes seems the only popularity contests we win tend to be unpopularity contests. One in two people don’t like their Council.  The Council tax is the least popular tax in the country.  No-one could say we come into this for the glamour and glory.  One of the problems is our Morecambe & Wise relationship with central government. Whenever they need a cheer from the audience, it’s us that gets a slap around the cheeks. But mud sticks.  And it falls to us to tackle the perceptions this leaves behind.  

The galling thing is that this has been another good year for local government.   Efficiencies are coming in whilst satisfaction’s going up. Seven out of ten are happy with parks – and rising. Three in five are happy with litter and waste services.  Councils are the most efficient part of the public sector, bringing savings of £3 million a day.  From dawn to dusk, two million people - the street cleaners, the social workers, the teachers, the health visitors – work to improve communities.  But the people we serve rarely hear these messages.

To improve our reputation, we announced the “Putting People First” campaigns at the beginning of the year. Today, we are building on this with the launch of “My Council” – a new national brand for local Government – so that people can see directly what a difference their council is making locally.

It’s designed to show the huge range of services that councils provide and that we are on people’s side on all the issues which count: housing, climate change, social care, environmental protection and community cohesion.  Not just emptying the bins.  It’s already got the media talking which is exactly what we hoped.     

I urge all of you to use the new brand. The more it’s seen, the greater the impact will be, the better the impression we will create.  And this is crucial, because if we can convince people of our achievements and contribution, we will be far more likely to be able to influence the Government.

Localism Debate

Today, the political discussion is increasingly being framed around the importance of localism. This balance of responsibility between local and central government and between the state and the individual is one of the greatest political issues of our age. There is a growing recognition that centralism has reached its limits and that power must be driven down.  “Localism” is this season’s must have fashion accessory. Even the Prime Minister has been sporting one.  But we have a chance here to create a new constitutional settlement which puts local government at the front of people’s lives. It’s an opportunity which is ours to throw away. 

If we can succeed in getting accountability and responsibility for public services downward, this could act as a catalyst for putting trust and democracy on an upward curve.  If people knew that their vote would keep their local GP surgery open or stop their local post office closing – they might be more inclined to use it.     

Last year I argued that councils should be the forum for greater local accountability of all local public services including health and the police.  I asked the LGA to set up an independent commission to look at local health services. This reported last month. The conclusions were startling.

Almost three quarters of people could not name their local PCT. More than half didn’t even know what a PCT did. Many actually thought they were responsible for emptying bins. So we need to bring all local services much closer to local people and allow them to hold them to account.  

In December, we signed a Concordat setting out a clear new deal between national and local government. We accept the centre should set the national standards. The centre accepts that we should hold greater power and autonomy. The Concordat also contained a first crucial acknowledgement from central government that councillors have their own democratic mandate.  And it talked about greater local accountability for all public services.  But to succeed, the Concordat must be genuinely enduring, not just a quick photo shoot. In time, we hope it could lead to far more radical reforms, of democratic and financial accountability, including on the vexed issue of local government finance.   

So, this is an historic moment for local government. The parameters of political debate are shifting. The tides of fortune are turning our way for the first time in a generation. 

There are at most two years before the next General Election.  Two years in which to encourage the major parties to have the courage of their professed convictions and deliver an irreversible shift in the governance of this country towards people and their localities.

All politicians are claiming to be local.  But we know that some politicians are more local than others.  I say to those at the centre: if you believe in local politics, now is the time to get behind local government.    

Thank you.  And enjoy the conference!