Last Friday Nick Clegg was speaking about devolution at an event organisation by the Institute for Public Policy Research. It marked the launch of their publication entitled ‘Decentralisation decade: A plan for economic prosperity, public service transformation and democratic renewal in England‘.
Nick Clegg’s speech starts just after 14 minutes in, and is followed by Q&A.
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2 Comments
In the 19and 20C there were plenty of skilled people such as manufacturers , craftsmen, engineers, retired military who had the skills and civic pride to operate local government effectively. The problem appears that there are fewer skilled people endowed with civic pride to take part in local government. I would suggest the failure in Rotherham and the push for Police Commissioners is largely due to the inability of councilors to maintain high standards of competence and probity from public officials.
When it comes to large development plans very few councilors have the ability to understand the documents .. The reason why so much civic construction projects worked up to the 1960s so well was that local government was run by councillors who were some of the leadings engineers, innovators and manufacturers in the World.
Sir Murdo MacDonald , the Liberal MP for Invernes was brilliant engineer and colonel in the Royal Engineers serving in Egypt in WW1: how many politicians come close to his expertise and experience ?
Strangely dismissive of regional assembly for Yorkshire.