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Proceeding contribution from Lord Greaves (Liberal Democrat) in the House of Lords on Tuesday, 5 July 2011. It occurred during Committee of the Whole House (HL) and Debate on bill on Localism Bill.


Localism Bill

My lords, I will withdraw it in a minute. However, I will, as always, read carefully what my noble friend has said and decide whether any of the amendments in the group need further pursuit. The more I hear this debate, the more I am concerned about the word ““challenge””. I think ““challenge”” is wrong because it is an adversarial word. If any of these arrangements are going to work, there will have to be a willingness on both sides—that is to say, on the part of councils and the organisations that are making a bid to run services—to make them work. There has to be co-operation. If that is not there, frankly the arrangements are not going to work very successfully. What is needed more than anything else in many places is a culture change, which can best be created by people exhorting, explaining, being enthusiastic and persuading, rather than having hundreds of thousands of words telling people in detail what to do. If people do not like what they are doing, they will do it grumpily, and it will not work very well. The only question I will ask my noble friend the Minister concerns all this talk of recalcitrant authorities. What estimate have the Government made of the number of local authorities which they expect to be recalcitrant in relation to this particular part of the Bill?


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
729 c189 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
Conditions of employment Community interest companies Community development Assets Business Buildings Council tax County councils Employment Land Expenditure Increases District councils Local government Property transfer Planning Public bodies Business rates Referendums Procurement Local government services Parish and town councils Provident societies Voluntary organisations Sports Social enterprises
Legislation
Localism Bill 2010-12
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk