After having a well deserved holiday in Tunisia with Mrs and Miss Cox it was interesting to see upon my return that a number of changes are to happen immediately in local government following an announcement by the new government this week.
Gone is Comprehensive Area Assessment the scoring system used to rak how good Local Authorities are performing. This is a shame in some ways as Southend was on the verge of a 4* rating but on the whole it needed to go.
Having a plan with local targets is clearly part of good governance and Southend can now look to local needs and aspirations to set its own sensible targets and objectives.
The Conservative Party promised a raft of changes and we are beginning to get them, along with the demise of the Audit Commission, out will go:
- The removal of The Regional Planning System along with its requirements to provide gypsy and traveller pitches in Southend,
- A specified number of new dwellings, which can now be determined locally to meet local needs,
- The removal of imposed affordable housing targets, again now to be determined locally.
It’s early days yet and clearly the Council will have to consider carefully how it can amend its policies to reflect local need rather than imposed targets across all the services it offers. It is intresting times for local government.
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