Top councils get free rein to push localism

摘要

Top-performing councils will be allowed to take forward the localism agenda well before new legislation, a government minister has revealed.In an exclusive interview with The MJ, decentralisation minister, Greg Clark, pledged that a 'vanguard' of councils would not be held back, despite laws creating a new power of general competence not even being on the statute book.He said: 'A lot of councils are asking, "Can we get on with these things now?" There really is an appetite among people to get on with some of this agenda.'He said the legislation would give greater powers to smaller councils, including parishes, to take on Whitehall departments.