Tom Bentley
Policy Adviser, Government of Victoria
Tom Bentley will be Executive Director for policy and cabinet for the Premier of Victoria, Australia from September 2006. He was Director of Demos from 1999-2006.
at 1:30pm on Tuesday, 9th May 2006
Yesterday morning I attended the launch of Sir Michael Lyons' latest report on the role of local authorities. The floor keeps moving under his review, given the restructuring of government departments involving local government, but the paper makes a strong case for thinking differently about some of the essential functions of government. His argument is that, as well as limiting the number of national priorities that can genuinely be priorities, we need to recognise the role of local authorities in 'place shaping and convening'. This means influencing the many different dynamics and actors that might impact on the economic and social wellbeing of a local area, and its distinctive identity. It remains to be seen whether or not the new department and its SoS can recognise this role or find a way of making its definition more powerful, but I think it has a lot of potential, both in understanding the role of governance, and in uncovering new approaches to reform. It also fits very strongly with the aims of Demos's new project on trust in local governance, happening in partnership with the councils of Sunderland, Solihull, Lewisham and Wakefield.
Yesterday morning I attended the launch of Sir Michael Lyons' latest report on the role of local authorities. The floor keeps moving under his review, given the restructuring of government departments involving local government, but the paper makes a strong case for thinking differently about some of the essential functions of government. His argument is that, as well as limiting the number of national priorities that can genuinely be priorities, we need to recognise the role of local authorities in 'place shaping and convening'. This means influencing the many different dynamics and actors that might impact on the economic and social wellbeing of a local area, and its distinctive identity. It remains to be seen whether or not the new department and its SoS can recognise this role or find a way of making its definition more powerful, but I think it has a lot of potential, both in understanding the role of governance, and in uncovering new approaches to reform. It also fits very strongly with the aims of Demos's new project on trust in local governance, happening in partnership with the councils of Sunderland, Solihull, Lewisham and Wakefield.
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