News

New powers to help residents fix local problems (2nd February 2010)

Communities are being given a powerful new way to fix local problems under new proposals to strengthen the ability of councils to scrutinise all local public services, announced Communities Secretary John Denham yesterday.

A new Private Members Bill published today, backed by the Government, will give every resident the right to hold local service providers to account through their elected representatives on all issues of local concern: like dug up roads, poor facilities at train stations, or threatened local bus routes.

People often feel they don't have the power or knowledge to tackle service providers on their own. But instead of having to suffer in silence, they will be able to call on their councillor who will have new powers to fight their corner.

The proposed new powers mean councils could legally compel organisations to attend public scrutiny hearings to justify their actions and respond in full to recommendations made by the councils to resolve the problem.

Councils will also have strengthened powers to scrutinise all the activities of Job Centre Plus, on issues like worklessness in the area, or how they're helping people into jobs locally.

< Back to news