By Eddie Martin, leader of Cumbria County Council

Published at 12:34, Friday, 10 August 2012

I SUPPOSE it’s in the nature of things; lots of complaints and not many compliments!

Eddie Martin

At the county council, 84 councillors – irrespective of party politics – do their best. So, too, do 8,500 employees. Yet one complaint or one freedom of information request can tie us up for days, sometimes weeks. Perhaps we strive too hard for perfection! But strive we do.

Whichever way we might look at it, local government does seem to be in the eye of a perfect storm. Think about it: financial cuts deeper than any other sector; seeming indifference from some parts of Whitehall who always seem to know the ‘right’ answers no matter what we might say; relatively low turnout at elections; a decade of low economic growth; unprecedented environmental challenges; social polarisation; and an ever rising demand for services all combine to signal what some might say is a bleak future for local councils. Is it really bleak? No, it’s certainly tougher, it’s getting tougher and we are certainly going to have to do things in a different way.

All politicians complain about the media but the national media’s coverage of councils does too often promotes a cynical, negative or even indifferent attitude towards local government that we do need to recognise and confront. Hammering the local council is fair game for the newspapers. But, all too often, it’s unfair or it tells only half the story.

The plain fact is that the councils are populated by people and, very occasionally, people do make mistakes.

There can’t be many of us either infallible or think we are infallible. Well, there’s me, of course...

Yet think about it; every day, day after day, thousands of relatively low paid public servants provide valued and valuable services to local communities.

Given its role in safeguarding vulnerable children, adults and elderly people, gritting roads and cleaning up after riots, floods or even acts of terrorism, I think that local government is the UK’s invisible emergency service. It is also arguably the sector which is making the most significant contribution to reducing the UK’s deficit, managing the impact of 28 per cent cuts effectively.

Whatever their political colours, most local councillors work tirelessly to champion the views of the people and communities they represent, in a way that is often simply not recognised.

You might tell them so next time you see them!

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk