http://opinion.publicfinance.co.uk/2010/02/the-grim-reality/ Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:31:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://opinion.publicfinance.co.uk/2010/02/the-grim-reality/comment-page-1/#comment-4526 George Jones Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:54:17 +0000 http://opinion.publicfinance.co.uk/?p=3007#comment-4526 Tony Travers vividly shows 'no-one in government or public policy has any kind of compelling solution to the problems on display'. He depicts a classic 'wicked issue'. When there is no clear national solution, the value of local government comes into its own. Local authorities should be innovating with solutions that are appropriate for their own localities. They need the powers and resources to tackle such problems. Innovative ideas could then bubble up from below rather than be imposed by a central government that can think only of single uniform national policies. If Total Place is to be more than a catalyst for debate, it should encompass just this sort of issue, with elected local authorities having the lead role over the spending of other organisations, including the department for Work and Pensions, which have the potential to contribute to solving the complex problems. Tony Travers vividly shows ‘no-one in government or public policy has any kind of compelling solution to the problems on display’. He depicts a classic ‘wicked issue’. When there is no clear national solution, the value of local government comes into its own. Local authorities should be innovating with solutions that are appropriate for their own localities. They need the powers and resources to tackle such problems. Innovative ideas could then bubble up from below rather than be imposed by a central government that can think only of single uniform national policies. If Total Place is to be more than a catalyst for debate, it should encompass just this sort of issue, with elected local authorities having the lead role over the spending of other organisations, including the department for Work and Pensions, which have the potential to contribute to solving the complex problems.

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