A power to get on with it!

摘要

After the gloom of severe public spending cuts, the coalition government has, through the draft power of general competence, proposed a significant constitutional change which heralds real devolution for local government. Clause 1 of the Localism Bill gives councils the power to do anything that individuals may generally do. As a comparison, this is a broader power than that enjoyed by charities or companies. The power of general competence is a radical proposal which overturns the existing constitutional position that local authorities are 'mere creatures of statute'.