Blears launches plan aimed at empowering communities

Produced in partnership with the Local Government Association, the action plan, makes clear how more people will be given more power over their communities in everything from tackling anti-social behaviour, managing social housing, tackling litter and fly tipping and improving playgrounds and parks.

Funding of £35 million over the next three years will back the delivery of the action plan and help make empowerment a reality in every community.

Hazel Blears will name 18 councils, two from every region of the country as 'empowerment champions'. Already pioneering a range of people power measures, these councils will work with other areas of the country to show empowerment in practice, share the lessons they have learned and help others to revive their local democracy through twinning programmes and regional empowerment road shows.

Data from the 2007 Citizenship survey published this month showed that only 37 per cent of people feel they can influence decisions affecting their local area, with only 20 per cent who felt they could influence decisions affecting Great Britain.

The action plan will dramatically expand and accelerate the programmes currently underway at both central and local government level to devolve more power to local people.

Hazel Blears said:
"This action plan is about turning rhetoric into reality. We have talked about devolution, now we need to step up a gear; to go further and faster and to be more ambitious about what we want achieve.

"A number of authorities are leading the charge for empowering people doing excellent work. Now I want local government to grasp the opportunities that devolution brings across the country. This action plan will bring about a transformation and reinvent the way we govern by bringing 'devolution to the doorstep'."