Referenda - Has the coalition got this wrong?

Part of the coalition plans were for local referenda to decide local issues. Whilst the the Council Tax increases over and above a level yet to be set has been made mandatory, the problems with other referenda is they are not mandatory and require Council approval for a referendum to take place. Localism Bill here.

This is wrong! The Local Government Association has got at the DCLG over this issue. Where a council has authority to do something then the people should be able, through the use of referenda, to change public policy. What is the coalition so scared of? I suppose Proposition 13 is a classic example of people wanting their cake and eating it.

I always think that referenda should always carry a way of paying for a particular service. Here are some examples:

St Neots Leisure Centre will now owned and managed by St Neots Town Council by transferring the ownership of the lease and raising St Neots Council Taxpayers bill by £80 a year Band D average.


All parks and open spaces, including any buildings, currently owned or leased by HDC will be transferred to St Neots Town Council. This will be paid for by raising the St Neots Council Tax by £100 a year Band D average.


With each question should be the cost to the Council Taxpayer. The big question for those who moan at cuts is: "Where is the money coming from to pay to retain the service". A question that politicians and moaning members of the public don't want to answer.

A question of mandate.
I like the concept of mandate at elections. The winning party has the right to push through policies which they are elected on. This can work fine at national elections and even County Council elections and Parish/Town elections as these are on a fixed term basis. Where concept of mandate falls down is with election by thirds or halves as not everyone has the opportunity to vote on the issues.

On the question of referendums for Town Councils I'm a bit perplexed. Electors already have the right to call for a non binding Town Poll. These are pretty limited and are only open for part of the day - 4pm to 9pm. The changes I would like to see is the moving of the Annual Town Meeting to the months of January to March. Then any Town Polls flowing from the Annual Town Meeting can be held at the elections in May. This would require changes in the law.

I feel these referenda proposals are too timid and should be binding on a Council, where it is legal to do so. I'm not one for massive direct democracy but if we are going to have these powers lets make them real rather rather than illusionary.

Coalition stops excessive Council Tax increases

In a press release the Coalition outlines the way the Local Government will be allowed to increase Council Tax. This includes extra money to keep the Council Tax increases down to zero. In the case of HDC this could mean an extra £183,792.

That is the good news. What is good news for HDC council taxpayers and bad news for Conservative run HDC is the following from the press release:

"The news of funding for a council tax freeze comes ahead of Government plans to legislate in the next month's Localism Bill to give local residents new powers to veto excessive council tax rises that will replace Whitehall capping from 2012-13 onwards.  Until then the Secretary of State is clear he reserves the right to use capping powers against any individual authorities which ignore the freeze and set excessive council tax increases."


So the Coalition is carrying on the previous Governments capping regime until the referendum provisions come in. Yippee! 

The Conservative run HDC has got to get with it. Instead of moaning about the state it got itself in it should be planning, since the Coalition came to power, for the referendum it will need to up the Council Tax. 

Will there be a rush to hike Council Tax.

The Coalition is looks set to give power to the citizen to implement referenda over anything local. On the Number 10 website is says:

"Give residents the power to instigate local referendums on any local issue and the power to veto excessive council tax increases."


As these are likely to be passed into law shouldn't councils look to the spirit of the law rather than squeeze through excessive rises before this becomes law. Is this what the Coalition - the Conservative and Liberal Democrats - wants?

Nothing from HDC promising a referendum over the hikes in Council Tax. I can see the reasoning now. No referendum because this will cost money. True, but that is an argument for not having elections. My argument is simple. If HDC is so sure of its case then put it to a referendum. Yes it will cost money. HDC set aside £1.9 million for changes to services. They could use some of this money. Democracy costs. There is nothing wrong in that.