Councillor Adam Hicken has travelled to the Local Government Association's Headquarters in London to speak to them about the need for a further devolution settlement. As part of the LGA's work to develop a Local Government White Paper, Cllr Hicken demanded that the Government place trust in local councils so that they could shape their boroughs and deliver better services for residents.
Councillor Adam Hicken said to the board: "Residents think Councils already have the power to get things done. Residents also think that Councillors already have the power to get things done. Quite often this is not the case, and in reality, we have our hands tied behind our backs. As local elected representatives we are chosen by the people to sort out problems and make our areas better. In reality, we do not have the powers from the Government to make a meaningful difference. This comes down to a lack of trust. The Government should put trust in local councils to be able to just get things done and deliver for our boroughs".
One of the common frustrations of local councillors is that powers and responsibilities have dwindled over the decades. We believe that people want a direct, efficient, and accountable system of local government where problems can get sorted quickly. Having elected representatives being given the right tools for the job is vital if we are to deliver this.
