Giving Power to People and Communities

posted: 03/07/2008 15:26:09

filed under: Conference

Earlier today Nick Clegg gave a major speech to the Local Government Association on giving power to people and communities:

"I am drawn to the philosophy of decentralisation and local empowerment for many reasons. There's the basic principle of subsidiarity - the liberal belief that decisions just ought to be taken as close to the people they affect as possible.

"But it's more than that. Centralised government simply doesn't work to deliver the change I want for Britain. It doesn't improve services fast enough. And it certainly doesn't deliver fairer outcomes – where everybody gets opportunities no matter their background.

"If the New Labour decade has taught us anything – this is surely it. The great experiment of trying to improve our public services for everyone by pouring money in through a tight funnel in Number 10 Downing Street has failed.

"And there's now no more money to put in. So it's time to think about how we improve our public services – not just how much we spend on them. And the biggest 'how' of all is decentralisation."

You can read the rest of Nick's speech - including his proposals to turn these ideas into specific action - on the Party's website. 

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Election Result from Friday 27th June 2008.

posted: 30/06/2008 21:15:56

filed under: results

South Norfolk DC, Diss

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Conference Photos

posted: 27/06/2008 17:23:01

filed under: conference

A selection of photos from the Local Government Conference earlier in the month are now on ALDC's Flickr site. Please let us know if you'd like (electronic) copies of any that you feature in!

Baroness Ros Scott and Andrew Stunell MP meet exhibitors in the Exhibition Hall. 

 

Shadow Local Government Minister Julia Goldsworthy MP addresses conference. 

Mark Pack, the Party's Head of Innovations, promoting the use of texting.

All photos copyright Fishnik.

 

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