Local Government Assoc. axed community empowerment from Localism Bill

[Michael Macpherson]

The Local Government Association represents many hundreds (where is 
their membership list?)  of city and district councils. Their income 
from fees, paid out of public funds, is substantial.

Their chair bleats triumphantly that the LGA successfully lobbied to 
remove from the Localism Bill one of the few potentially useful reforms 
towards participative democracy and the much (by ConLibdem) touted 
community empowerment.

If you disagree with this policy then ask your Council (if they are LGA 
members) to formally complain or consider resigning from the Local 
Government Association.

INIREF commented on-line:

http://www.lgcplus.com/briefings/corporate-core/governance/making-the-localism-bill-work-for-councils/5037620.article

Sir Merrick Cockell, chairman, LGA wrote:

"We also worked hard for councils around the issue of local referendums. 
.... The LGA succeeded in removing these from the legislation."

(iniref:)
Congratulations. The LGA with accomplices from the building and 
development industry lobbies and in cahoots with much of the ruling 
class of the three major parties has succeeded to axe that part of the 
Localism Bill which was probably the most important to the citizens of 
this country.

You have done a great disservice to democracy in England. Repeated 
surveys have shown that over seven out of ten British adults approve the 
introduction of citizen instigated referenda in local and central 
governance.

The Conservative/Liberal-Democrat 2010 coalition agreement contains the 
following clear statement, p. 27,

"We will give residents the power to instigate local referendums on any 
local issue."

What are the promises of our politicians worth?

signed for,

I&R ~ GB Citizens' Initiative and Referendum
http://www.iniref.org/

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