I return to the example of Free Schools and Academies because it is an area somewhat more clearly defined than the vague notions of Neighbourhood Planning, community-run libraries and charity-provided, rather than professionally-staffed, public services.
Schools policy sees the role of the local authority removed from Academies. Power, and public funding, is transferred to each school’s governing body. It can be argued that this is the essence of Localism’s beneficial effect, devolution to a more local base. However, it is power without accountability. The governors may wish to use their powers to amend the school’s admission policy, the range of subjects taught, the priority accorded to Special Needs, the schools in the local pyramid with which they wish to co-operate, etc, etc… How is that power to be challenged, should there be dissent? There is no mechanism to do so, because schools are free of local democratic control. Free Schools are even more undemocratic, since they can be established with public money to cater for special interest groups, irrespective of the damage they could do to community cohesion or educational fairness.
This, then, is fundamental flaw number three, ironically for a policy entitled “Localism”, local public services unaccountable to any local democratic forum.
Jamie Shaw, Wyre Forest Labour
Tory Localism Fundamental Flaws One & Two – Jamie Shaw, Wyre Forest Labour
