Ministers ‘terrified’ of losing power

MPs have accused ministers of being too “terrified”
to allow local authorities more independence.

The Labour-dominated House of Commons committee on transport,
local government and the regions said a revised version of the
draft Local Government Bill should be published to give councils
greater freedom. The committee said the existing bill failed to
address the imbalance between central and local government.

“The bill increases the power of the secretary of state.
Central government seems terrified of trusting local authorities
and allowing them their independence,” it reported.