The C'llr Interview
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Co-produSpecial feature August 2012 ways of workingCtion – together different For Councillors from the LGiU the c’llr interview Louise Casey on troubled families Profile Adult social care Community safety Gerald Pickles c’llr award Vernon- launches winner Jackson APPG report Tafheen Sharif nside page 12 page 25 page 27 i www.lgiu.org.uk Contents Local Government Information Unit 22 Upper Woburn Place London WC1H OTB 020 7554 2800 8 [email protected] Editor Alan Pickstock Deputy EditorJane Sankarayya Cover picture Louise Casey by Katie Collins/PA Wire Design Whatever Design Ltd 11 10 Print Headley Brothers Ltd 3 Forward look 9 Finance Special feature 27 Community Tony Ball of the importance Carol Grant – when the on co-production safety of brand money runs out Elizabeth Thompson Andy Sawford on not forcing 19 Co-production in health people to vote meets c’llr award winner 10 Food poverty and social care Tafheen Sharif 4 Chris Game’s Dave Wilcox on food banks 20 The key to service transformation 28 Young people – A-Z of local 11 Social services 21 Swindon’s joint venture how Nottingham and government LIFE Programme Kirklees are helping young Mark D’Arcy talks to Simon people not in employment, Reality Check – Dave Wilcox Danczuk about the Rochdale education or training ‘grooming’ case 22 Citizen leaders seize the day 5 LGiU Update 30 Welcome to Andy Sawford on the LGiU’s 13 Profile 23 Looking for a new partnership model activity Mark Smulian meets the the LGiU LGA’s Lib Dem leader, Gerald the National Audit Office 24 Paul Corrigan on explains its work 6 Ten things you Vernon-Jackson how patients can need to know… save the NHS 14 Members’ views 31 Another View …City Deal Alan Waters thinks On the road with Chris Naylor 25 Adult social care contractors will trump 7 Media Watch spend more on prevention community enterprises David Brindle – managing the 15 Troubled media families 26 Localism 32 Postcard from Shona Johnstone updates San Francisco 8 Wheeler’s World Over three pages, Patrick on her award-winning Kelly talks to Louise Casey localism project Is the US falling in love with Heather Wheeler’s notebook and explains the new public transport? takes in adult social care and Troubled Families scheme the Queen’s Speech 2 www.lgiu.org.uk Forward look Executive notes Andy Sawford is Chief Executive A brand of the LGiU Vote of confidence? A recent report called ‘Next new council Localism’ argues that voting should be compulsory. Ten countries, including Australia and Brazil, Private companies know that good branding is enforce compulsory voting. The idea is superficially attractive. crucial. Tony Ball argues that councils need to It would end, at a stroke, concerns about falling turnout. It would also recognise the importance of having a defined render largely redundant the polling day activities of political parties, brand that tells a clear story to local people. with their ‘reading pads’ and door knocking to encourage their own supporters to vote. Politicians would n the new ‘age of austerity’ world of Basildon has an overall vision – to create arguably have greater legitimacy local government, it is more important opportunity which is underpinned by five because they would be elected with than ever that councils work closer specific promises that relate to everything the support of the majority of the and harder with their communities. we will do for the next four years: providing I electorate, rather than the majority And to do this, we need to be clear on value for money; getting the basics right; votes of the minority who actually what their vision and priorities are and the demanding better public services; supporting bother to go to the polls. promises they make to local people. the local economy, and transforming our This is not about a new logo, nor just borough. changing what we are doing. It is about being Basildon is in the heart of Essex, with a “ At the LGiU we firmly clearer about what we are doing and giving rich past of welcoming people from the East more focus to our priorities. of London in search of a better life and better believe that there is a At this years LGA conference, Sir Merrick opportunities. That movement continues to Cockell warned that if something did not this day and Basildon continues to be a place relationship between the change, councils could be reduced to doing that offers opportunity. powers that councillors nothing by 2020 but collecting the rubbish We believe this is a strong story and and delivering adult social care. essential for a council such as ours that wants have and the level of To avoid this, we must prioritise, do it to work with local people and do the best for well and be very clear about it. We have its area. local participation.” to re-evaluate our relationship with local The first of our promises are to provide Advocates of compulsory voting people – to make sure we work with them. value for money and do what we call getting argue that it would improve the Basildon is building its brand inside out. the basics right. This is the day job and the quality and accountability of our What we say is our promise, and what we minimum we are expected to do as a good political system. In short, compulsory do impacts on what people say about us and local authority. voting is, for some, a silver bullet. therefore our brand. Our next promises are to support our I’m afraid though I think it’s a rusty Before developing a corporate vision and local economy, and use our influence to bullet, fired from a wonky barrel. brand, as elected members we need to ask see that better public services are deliv- Firstly the diagnosis is wrong: ourselves: What do we want to be ered in areas such as policing, healthcare low voter turnout is the symptom, known for? and particularly education. not the cause. At the LGIU we firmly We know we have massive Finally, we are committed to trans- believe that there is a relationship challenges – the tide of forming our borough by regenerating between the powers that councillors funding has gone and it is town centres, using our planning powers have and the level of local participa- unlikely to come back in to protect our greenbelt where possible, tion. For years councillors have been for sometime, if at all. while ensuring the right number of new frustrated by the limitations on their But we still need to find homes are built that people want to live in. ability to get things done. ways to deliver for These are not empty words. We have no A test of how effectively the our local areas. intention of breaking our promises and think government has implemented its creating opportunity and getting the basics localism agenda will be whether right will pass what we call in Basildon the councillors feel they are more pub test – we think our people will get it. powerful. I think this would not only By delivering on our promise local people encourage more people to vote, but will understand us and trust us – essential may lead to more people seeking if they are to work with us and support us in election to the council. That’s why I the tough times ahead. And a clear story gives would urge everyone to focus on the coherence, clarity and cuts through to every- cure for stronger local democracy, thing we say, so vital in a media rich age when rather than its symptoms. we are all competing just to be heard. And if I haven’t convinced you, here is one more argument. In a democracy, surely it is our right not Tony Ball is leader of Basildon council to vote, just as much as it is our right to vote. www.lgiu.org.uk 3 Reality check Councillors’ A to Z Dave Wilcox is chair of the LGiU Destination Europe On a recent visit to a former war-torn corner of Eastern Europe, my sleep was disturbed by the buzz of mosquitoes. Like Spitfires and Messerschmitts they homed in on their target, leaving the surface of my skin dotted with strawberry red mounds. Next day, as I dabbed the After Bite pen on my ankles I recalled the adage, “the pen is mightier than the sword,” reflecting that in the EU today we reconcile our differences through the pen rather than investing in bombs, tanks and missiles to use on each other. Nowadays, 50 per cent of legislation impacting on local is for... authorities emanates from Europe. T To ensure that these laws are is the travel letter: transport, positive for UK plc, we have to form traffic – and trams. In the 1930s alliances across 27 other nations. there were tram services in most T larger towns and cities. Then, “ Put bluntly, we had our within two decades, they were gone – referendum on Europe 40 years sorry, virtually gone. Now, pleasingly, they’re gradually ago. I voted against our joining. returning – mainly, of course, through light In retrospect I was wrong.” rail systems: Tyne and Wear, London Dock- lands, Manchester, Sheffield, Birmingham- In that context it’s important that Wolverhampton, Nottingham. But there’s horses are on the Rare Breeds Survival we know where others stand, so we also Southport’s recently modernised pier Trust’s endangered species list, which can ensure positive outcomes for our trams – not to be confused with Southend’s seems all wrong.