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Future of Local Government
The future of local government.
Written by me in 2000, it was runner
up in a national competition. Years
later, how true were the
predictions? Are they nearer or
further from being the future? -
Although technology won't make as big
an impact on voting as some are
predicting, it will lead to a big
increase in the flow and amount of
information. Councillors will be
attending a lot of meetings without
leaving their home-based offices by
the use of webcams on the intranet and
internet.
The increase in turnout will be mainly
due to easier access to polling
stations, especially supermarket-based
ones. However, the turnout will still
be less than a third as most of the
electorate will notice the increase in
involvement of central government,
especially in education, and of the
Health Service in social care.
A number of the meetings held over the
internet will be to do with
counselling as the role of councils
will be to help customers solve their
problems rather than solve the
problems for them. A good example will
be the arbitration service by which
the council will bring together both
sides in a dispute. Councillors will
be supported by the legal services of
their councils as they help the
customers to draw up agreements. A lot
of these contracts will be legally
enforceable. There are also agreements
between councils and their customers
including an annual contract. This
agreement will state what services the
council will provide in return for the
council tax payments from customers.
The legal services will be one of the
busiest departments. Councillors will
be pleased to use the service to help
them interpret agreements for in the
future contracts will be everywhere.
The future role of councils will be
more of enablers rather than
providers. Enabling will mean
balancing the encouragement of growth
and enterprise with the desire by many
to resist change. Indeed, the
government will be trying to convince
the public that a dynamic changing
society is good for everyone, and
councillors will be expected to join
in that campaign.
The flow of information, especially
the growth of local community
television channels and community web
sites, will require councillors and
councils to have a high regard to
image. Excellent communication skills
will be one of the main attributes
looked for in selection processes by
political parties.
People power will mean that
councillors will have to be tuned to
the mood of the public, and to pass
this on not only to officers but also
to the elected mayor or cabinet. One
good example of people power will be
the introduction of proportional
representation despite most parties
being opposed to it. Another will be
the ability of customers to petition
for local referendums. People power
will also resist the calls for
compulsive voting.
Councillors will be paid an allowance
set by central government. It will
include a large element of performance
pay based upon targets agreed by the
councillors, supported by their
political parties, and a government
appointed board that acts on behalf of
local people.
Customers will be encouraged to be
part of the process of local
government. The number of councillors
will be reduced by about a third.
Despite recruitment campaigns,
councillors will still be seen as not
a reflection of the society as a
whole. To counter these the government
will encourage more public
participation. Public meetings in
addition to surgeries, public
involvement in council meetings and
public membership of council bodies
will be encouraged. For the councillor
this will mean evaluating whether
these "representatives" are truly
representative of the public, finding
out how much their opinion reflects
public opinion.
There will be a significant increase
in local opinion polls with
councillors themselves doing a lot of
the commissioning. This will be a
growth area.
For the lucky ones who get to be a
councillor, the future will be a busy
and exciting time.
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