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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Voters given local budget powers | Voters given local budget powers |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Plans to give people a greater say in how English councils spend their money have been unveiled by Communities Secretary Hazel Blears. | Plans to give people a greater say in how English councils spend their money have been unveiled by Communities Secretary Hazel Blears. |
| She announced 10 pilot schemes where residents will decide spending priorities for budgets ranging from £200,000 to £23m. | She announced 10 pilot schemes where residents will decide spending priorities for budgets ranging from £200,000 to £23m. |
| Ms Blears told the Local Government Association it would give some of the most powerless people a voice. | Ms Blears told the Local Government Association it would give some of the most powerless people a voice. |
| But the Lib Dems dismissed the announcement as "gesture politics". | But the Lib Dems dismissed the announcement as "gesture politics". |
| Neighbourhood pride | Neighbourhood pride |
| In her first speech as Communities and Local Government Secretary, Ms Blears said for many people, sitting on a council committee was "not an exciting prospect". | In her first speech as Communities and Local Government Secretary, Ms Blears said for many people, sitting on a council committee was "not an exciting prospect". |
| But she said she wanted them to get involved with spending on their neighbourhoods and feel proud of their area. | But she said she wanted them to get involved with spending on their neighbourhoods and feel proud of their area. |
| Democracy should be about much more than casting a vote every few years Hazel BlearsCommunities Secretary class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/6275698.stm">Opening the 'people's purse' | |
| They would decide whether more money should be spent on services like local police, cleaning up parks and refuse collections. | They would decide whether more money should be spent on services like local police, cleaning up parks and refuse collections. |
| Ms Blears, a former councillor, said it was not about "bypassing councils", but aimed at getting local people and councils together. | Ms Blears, a former councillor, said it was not about "bypassing councils", but aimed at getting local people and councils together. |
| She said: "Democracy should be about much more than casting a vote every few years. | She said: "Democracy should be about much more than casting a vote every few years. |
| "It should be a daily activity, not an abstract theory. Local people know the needs of their area better than anyone." | "It should be a daily activity, not an abstract theory. Local people know the needs of their area better than anyone." |
| 'People's purse' | 'People's purse' |
| The 10 pilot areas are Merseyside, Nottinghamshire, Birmingham, Lewisham, Bradford, Salford, Sunderland, Newcastle, Southampton and St Helens. | The 10 pilot areas are Merseyside, Nottinghamshire, Birmingham, Lewisham, Bradford, Salford, Sunderland, Newcastle, Southampton and St Helens. |
| A spokesman for her department said it was up to each area to work out how to take decisions but options included city-wide ballots, local panels, or public meetings. | A spokesman for her department said it was up to each area to work out how to take decisions but options included city-wide ballots, local panels, or public meetings. |
| Ms Blears said the aim was for every neighbourhood to have control of a "community kitty" or "people's purse" within five years. | Ms Blears said the aim was for every neighbourhood to have control of a "community kitty" or "people's purse" within five years. |
| Rather than a partnership between local and central government, this is more Whitehall dictatorship Andrew StunellLiberal Democrats | Rather than a partnership between local and central government, this is more Whitehall dictatorship Andrew StunellLiberal Democrats |
| Ms Blears was addressing the conference of the Local Government Association, which has questioned public desire for the plans. | Ms Blears was addressing the conference of the Local Government Association, which has questioned public desire for the plans. |
| It believes it would be better to devolve the money to frontline councillors who could consult on how the money was spent in their wards. | It believes it would be better to devolve the money to frontline councillors who could consult on how the money was spent in their wards. |
| For the Lib Dems, Andrew Stunell said it was "nothing more than gesture politics" which would not give people a bigger say. | For the Lib Dems, Andrew Stunell said it was "nothing more than gesture politics" which would not give people a bigger say. |
| Ring-fenced grants | Ring-fenced grants |
| He said it would be better to give councillors more powers to "stick up for their areas on vital decisions such as planning and licensing decisions". | He said it would be better to give councillors more powers to "stick up for their areas on vital decisions such as planning and licensing decisions". |
| He added: "It also means ending government micro-management of council spending. | He added: "It also means ending government micro-management of council spending. |
| "In the last decade the amount of council spending coming from ring-fenced grants has increased from £1.6 billion to £7.2 billion. | "In the last decade the amount of council spending coming from ring-fenced grants has increased from £1.6 billion to £7.2 billion. |
| Today Hazel Blears has announced that she is giving people a little bit of power to spend a little bit of money David CameronConservative leader | Today Hazel Blears has announced that she is giving people a little bit of power to spend a little bit of money David CameronConservative leader |
| "Rather than a partnership between local and central government, this is more Whitehall dictatorship. " | "Rather than a partnership between local and central government, this is more Whitehall dictatorship. " |
| In an earlier speech to the conference, Conservative leader David Cameron said he wanted to abolish regional assemblies and hand their powers to local councils, as well as to phase out ring-fenced grants. | In an earlier speech to the conference, Conservative leader David Cameron said he wanted to abolish regional assemblies and hand their powers to local councils, as well as to phase out ring-fenced grants. |
| He also backs more powerful elected mayors for major cities to help raise the profile of local government. | He also backs more powerful elected mayors for major cities to help raise the profile of local government. |
| "Today Hazel Blears has announced that she is giving people a little bit of power to spend a little bit of money," he said. | "Today Hazel Blears has announced that she is giving people a little bit of power to spend a little bit of money," he said. |
| "By contrast, we would give people a lot of power to spend a lot of money." | "By contrast, we would give people a lot of power to spend a lot of money." |