Local government is jaw dropping, can inspire citizens and, at its best, can outshine any part of Whitehall, former tsar Dame Louise Casey has claimed.
In an exclusive interview with The MJ, Dame Louise said that, in the current climate of weak national politics, local government had an opportunity to provide a voice for the public to trust.
She continued: ‘You have a voice here which is legitimate. You know the best of local government is better than any part of Whitehall I’ve ever seen.
‘Local government at its most effective is jaw-dropping. It can inspire its citizens. It can stand up for doing things that are right.’
Dame Louise, who conducted the Government’s review into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, claimed society had failed to learn the lessons of what went wrong.
She added: ‘I think that we are getting there but there is something here about society overall taking responsibility for how we view vulnerable young girls and women.’