Turning the tide
The erosion of local government
Over the last 40 years, we have witnessed a steady decline of the power and autonomy of local government. This ‘centralisation on steroids’ has left the UK more centralised than nearly every other OECD country.
More power should be in the hands of local communities. Councils understand their local areas better than central government does, so they should have the power to make decisions and respond to local needs. This won’t just lead to better democracy, but to better government.
The erosion of local democracy is documented in a report entitled ‘Local Government in England - 40 Years of Decline’, commissioned by Unlock Democracy from De Montfort University. The research assesses the state of local government in England and documents how local government powers, finance, responsibilities and autonomy have been consistently eroded by successive governments, of all political persuasions, since 1979.
Our campaign
We have discussed our campaign with a range of councillors, from different political parties and from across the country.
Many councillors pointed out how the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the important role of local councils. They know their local area well so are able to support vulnerable residents, and ensure high streets are covid-safe.
In our Oxford launch of the campaign, we heard from the leader of Oxfordshire Council, Councillor Liz Leffman, who said that “The work of local councils in our communities has been undermined by successive governments of all flavours and yet the demand for local support continues to increase.”
If you would like to see more decisions about your local community taken locally, rather than in Whitehall, please sign our petition today.