The New Deal for Communities is revolutionary in itself - and its wider importance cannot be underestimated. In fact, it is essential if existing universal or targeted services are to succeed, after labouring for too long against a backdrop of complex and intractable problems, following decades of neglect, prejudice and underfunding.

But while some problems will be common to many areas, one blueprint can't solve them all. The NDC holds great promise precisely because it is community-led and structured to respond to local needs. Typically, the government has recognised that local flexibility is essential, yet hasn't had the confidence to maintain that flexibility when it comes to monitoring.

The NDC schemes could be a vital step towards the strategic aim of re-engaging local communities with all services. For that to work, they need time for inexperienced individuals to grow in new roles, before being rushed into multi-million pound decisions, then threatened by government if the decisions go wrong.