Clause 39
Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill
4:30 pm
Alistair Burt (Shadow Minister (Communities and Local Government), Communities and Local Government; North East Bedfordshire, Conservative)
Ten out of 10 for artistic impression—that is an heroic effort to justify the Government’s proposals, but I remind the Minister of what we are talking about. We are trying not to get some measure of the importance of strong leadership in delivering effective local government—that is taken as read—but to justify the Minister’s and the Government’s contention that the desire for directly elected executives has been a ripple running through local government, stimulated by local government and councils themselves. It is not about research bodies talking about strong leadership or others commenting on it, but about finding the spark in the local government system that said, “We want this, and we want it now.” Despite the Minister’s best efforts, I am still uncertain that we are talking about a mass movement beyond two or three councillors thinking that it might be a good idea.