New Local Government Association chairman Sir Merrick Cockell has promised a stronger, more confident association in his maiden speech to the LGA annual conference in Birmingham today.
He told delegates:'My pledge to you is that I want to be a part of a renaissance of confidence in local government. And I want the LGA to be central to this renaissance and I will help lead it as your champion for a better civic society.'
He claimed the ambitions to improve councils would only be met with an effective LGA, making strong arguments to central government, partners, the media and the public and supporting member authorities.
Sir Merrick warned that the association would not be able to shy away from controversial issues which divide membership.
'It is the reason for engaging with it in different and creative ways so that all councils can get benefit from the LGA's intervention, even if that is not about establishing a single, shared position,' he added.
He paid tribute to the Government's decentralisation agenda and'the wasteful apparatus of central control and regional co-ordination, but added:'I know that so much more could be achieved – so much more could be saved.'
