On Localism

It has been interesting and somewhat disturbing to see the political parties jockeying for position over the localism agenda.

The Labour government has promoted the idea through the Department for Communities and Local Government, David Cameron recently gave a very supportive speech and, less unlikely, Nick Clegg has pitched his tent on the same field.

This is not so much about political debate as all sides recognising the zeitgeist moment.

Whilst we have much theoretical agreement about localism - the need to drive power further down and encourage communities and individuals to take responsibility for their destinies - practical problems abound on the ground, because empowerment implies power shifting and whilst the newly empowered welcome the opportunity, the concomitant is that some folk currently holding power will lose some of it.

Since power is closely bound up with resources, this is seen as a threat in some quarters.

The big question is how to effect the power shift.

This is, of course, the gap between strategy and local delivery.

communityNET provides a mechanism, or gearbox, to effect the change, but first we have to persuade the powers that currently be, to instal the gearbox!

Now we come to the tricky question of how and indeed why, folks who profit from the current system, should support the new system.

Firstly, enlightened folk know that change happens anyway and history tells us that those who stand in the way of change, eventually get knocked over by it.

And the longer change is held back, the bigger the reaction when it breaks.

The reality is that moribund power is increasingly exposed as failing and ludicrous.

In previous times and in current times in other places, the breaking of moribund power can get bloody. It doesn't really matter how we feel about this - the manner of the reaction will determine the manner of the revolution.

Let's be grateful we live in Britain in the 21st century. The game is sometimes dirty and devious and debate doesn't always decide the day, but with luck, no-one will die in the struggle.

And persuasion and pensions should ease the pain. There are always OBEs and the like too !

steve