Well it’s been a week of learning, and my brain is not set up for all that knowledge; Ouch.
On Wednesday I was at the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) conference in Bristol and on Saturday I was in Clifton for another conference, this time with the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors (ALDC)
Wednesday was networking opportunity with councils from far and wide in attendance; the conference was a chance to see colleges from other authorities that we have had dealing with before, and to make new friends in authorities we have not yet had the pleasure to deal with. That said there was a serious side to the conference as well as it is an opportunity to learn new things, this year it’s all about the Localism Bill, that is a mine field in the making, but they say the devil is in the detail and the act is in the House of Lords for its second reading at the moment, so if approved then the details will be applied and we will then have something we will better understand and hopefully be able to work with. The principles good but will it ever work. WATCH THIS SPACE.
On Saturday I went to Clifton, over the bridge, twice, 50p each time, lovely view. This conference was different, it was a political conference for the Liberal Democrats, again it was a networking opportunity and a learning place but this time we were all of the same party. We even had Nick Clegg MP (Deputy Prime Minister) and Richard Kemp CBE, there to talk to us, and I have to say he was interesting and worth listening to. There was a lot about the Localism Bill again as it is the subject of the moment. As you expect with Lib-Dems there were lots about Green Environmental issues, my poor little brain cell was working overtime, I must try and get another one from somewhere.
Below is Engineers House in Clifton
If you have not heard of the Localism Bill before, there are some key provisions like:
- A General Power of Competence
- Community right to challenge
- Community right to buy
- Neighbourhood plans
- The standards board regime
- The ‘predomination’ rule
- Local referendums
- Elected Mayors
These are the basics that are going forward at the moment, how it will be delivered will be in the detail, which has not yet been written.
bloomingyeovil 