§ 3 p.m.
§ Lord Islwynasked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have for the modernisation of local government.
§ Baroness Farrington of RibbletonMy Lords, over the past few months we have published a series of six consultation papers inviting comment and debate on our initial proposals for modernising local government in England. We are currently in the middle of that consultation exercise and intend to set out our firm proposals in a White Paper in the summer. I know that it will be of interest to my noble friend Lord Islwyn that the Secretary of State for Wales is conducting a similar consultation exercise, leading to a White Paper, on modernising local government in Wales. A parallel exercise is taking place in Scotland.
§ Lord IslwynMy Lords, will the Minister accept that it is necessary to recruit into local government men and women of the highest calibre who will observe an appropriate code of conduct? Will she further accept that citizens are entitled to expect best value for money for the services provided? While I appreciate the Prime Minister's call for an ethical framework for local government, nevertheless will the Minister accept that over the generations Britain has been well served by its local government?
§ Baroness Farrington of RibbletonMy Lords, I declare an interest before giving any bouquets. As a former serving local councillor, I agree with my noble friend that local government is well served in the overwhelming majority of cases both by elected representatives and officials of the highest standards. We maintain the importance of ensuring that the highest calibre of councillors are attracted into local government and believe that some of the proposals out for consultation in our paper Local Democracy and Community Leadership will help to establish that. My noble friend referred to the new ethical framework document. We believe that that, too, is important. I know that that has been welcomed by the Local Government Association.
§ Lord BeloffMy Lords, will the noble Baroness enlighten me as to the meaning of the word "modernisation" because most things that are said to be modernised are worse than they were before?
§ Baroness Farrington of RibbletonMy Lords, I can well understand the concern of the noble Lord, 149 Lord Beloff, after the experience of the past 18 years, that the process of change in local government has led to things being worse. That is why we are consulting widely and working together in a strong partnership with local government to ensure that this Government's modernisation proposals leave things better, not for local councillors and officials, important though that is, but for the people of the country.
§ Baroness MaddockMy Lords, can the Minister give some information about the consultation the Government propose with parish and town councils? I attended a national conference of the clerks of such councils 10 days ago. They were concerned to be involved and felt that they had not been involved enough so far. In her plans to modernise local democracy can the Minister assure us that the Government will not rule out having a fairer voting system for local elections with a more proportional system? The Government have put forward in their document a good case for it. However, they have not said that they will implement it despite supporting it for European elections, the Welsh assembly and the parliament in Scotland.
§ Baroness Farrington of RibbletonMy Lords, perhaps I may first deal with the second point made by the noble Baroness. As the noble Baroness recognised in her question, she is aware that the Government acknowledge the importance of addressing constitutional change across many areas. We have made it quite clear that, given the wide range of proposed changes in the lifetime of this Government, we have no immediate plans to consider changing the electoral system for local government. However, we have not ruled out the possibility beyond the short term and we do not refuse to reconsider it. As regards local councils, we have had a wide range of responses to the consultation that has taken place from town and parish councils. Our assumptions have been circulated through the county networks and through their close relationship with county authorities. However, were there to be concerns should the National Association of Local Councils make direct representations we would view that very positively. We want the widest consultation and support for the proposals.
§ Lord Dean of BeswickMy Lords, as someone who served in local government for a long time with some distinction, can the Government give an undertaking that whatever format is produced from these discussions the top priority will be for probity and honesty in the staff who man local government in the future—whatever structure is created—because some of it has become rather tarnished lately?
§ Baroness Farrington of RibbletonMy Lords, the Prime Minister personally expressed his view that there should be probity and the highest possible standards in local government and for local councillors, with "one strike and you are out". I pay tribute to the work done by my noble friend Lord Dean of Beswick during his time in local government. He was able to be involved 150 because of the powers and abilities of local authorities to respond to the needs of the community. We wish to return to that following the consultation exercise.
Lord BownessMy Lords, the forewords to the consultation papers, if not the contents of the papers themselves, suggest that the Government envisage a rosy future for local government under this administration. That being the case, perhaps the noble Baroness can tell us why the Government propose to keep their capping powers; and, further, why they propose establishing regional development agencies appointed by the Government to act for them and to interfere with, and to take powers away from, local authorities?
§ Baroness Farrington of RibbletonMy Lords, as regards capping we have made it absolutely clear that we shall work in partnership with local government to ensure that the removal of the absolute and total capping system will occur when a system of best value is fully in place and working in partnership. We believe it is very important that this process takes place. The noble Lord referred to the consultation process and the importance of consideration being given to the way forward. As he is aware, consultation is necessary if we are to move forward. With the noble Lord's distinguished career in local government he will be aware that, under the partnership arrangements, this Government have a regular three-monthly series of meetings at the highest ministerial level with cross-party representation from local government.
§ Lord IslwynMy Lords, can the Minister say whether a timetable has been laid down for the proposed reforms?
§ Baroness Farrington of RibbletonMy Lords, there are proposals in a range of documents to which I referred earlier. They deal with the full spectrum of local democracy and community leadership, improving local services through best value, capital finance, business rates, improving local financial accountability and the new ethical framework. Following the responses to the consultation we hope to publish a White Paper in the summer to bring together the responses to the consultation.