Labour must overcome obstacles including the erosion of local government if it wants to carry out its pledge to empower communities, according to a cross-party campaign group.
In its report Winning With Communities Compass says it welcomes the party’s commitment to a ‘take back control’ bill aimed at pushing power away from Westminster and devolving power.
In his new year’s speech, Labour leader Keir Starmer promised a ‘huge power shift out of Westminster’ that would ‘deliver on the demand for a new Britain.’
However, the report’s authors say a new Government will face the over-centralisation of the British state and erosion of local government through slashed budgets and the privatisation of services.
The authors also cite ‘local government structures and cultures’ and a lack of policy consistency as potential problems.
Recommended solutions include ‘deepening democracy by giving communities the right to participate in the decisions that affect them’ and supporting ‘independent community action’.
The report’s co-author Matt Scott said: ‘The sad fact remains that when it comes to community empowerment the rhetoric almost always exceeds reality.
‘Even when Labour are in Government, power has a tendency to be sucked upwards rather than pushed outwards to community groups and residents.’
