Empower Locals, Not Bureaucrats

As a former headteacher, I've seen firsthand the importance of local decision-making in shaping the services that matter most to our communities. However, I'm not convinced that simply giving local councils more autonomy is the solution to our problems. In my experience, what's often lacking is not power, but a sense of responsibility and accountability.

We need to encourage local councils to take ownership of their decisions, rather than just being given more power to make them. This means giving them the freedom to innovate and experiment, but also ensuring they're held to account for the results. It's a bit like tending to my allotment - if I'm not careful, the weeds will take over, and all my hard work will be for nothing. We need to make sure our local councils are tending to their own gardens, rather than just waiting for instructions from above.