Local Government
Local government needs to be radically reformed.
| The Peoples Party will: |
|---|
| replace all local councillors with an elected mayor or chief executive |
| remove many of the current functions of local government such as education to ensure better accountability |
| make the council tax directly related to the cost of local services |
| ensure that local government is focused on local issues such as revitalising town centres, roads, waste collection, libraries and recreation. We must make public parks and open spaces outstanding |
Local government has evolved to become bureaucratic, wasteful and unaccountable. Popular disenchantment is evident by the poor turnouts at local elections.
Few people know who their local councillors are, and council operations and decision making are a mystery that even fewer people can claim to understand. The revitalisation of local government is necessary to make it an effective force.