Local government minister, John Healey today called on Councils across the UK to take the lead and create institutions that reflect the `new politics' recently set out by Gordon Brown. Healey, a close ally of the Prime Minister, is asking Labour Council leaders in particular to utilise local expertise and knowledge to establish `town halls of all the talents'.

The call comes in a new collection of essays by key figures in Labour local government, to be launched at the party's annual conference in Bournemouth. Writing in the introduction, the Minister and MP for Wentworth, South Yorkshire writes:
"Strong and stable politics is built on engaging people, not excluding them. Confident politicians can reach beyond the narrow circles of their own power. Above all, the challenges we face throughout the country can only be met by drawing on the widest range of contributions, expertise and talent."

"By leading the debate on localism, by making power more accountable locally, by opening up the town hall to `all the talents' and by renewing our party that Labour can create a vibrant local democracy and a strong local government able to shape prosperity and prospects of the cities and towns we serve.

"Based on our values and the best of innovations in the councils we run, Labour local government should be leading the way in strengthening community involvement in council decision-making and expanding the influence of local democracy over other public services, such as healthcare, criminal justice or welfare."

Elsewhere in the collection, Manchester City Council leader, Richard Leese describes how local citizens are being encouraged to take more responsibility in the decision-making process:
"The stress has been on partnership and on  helping to build solutions to collective problems - the Council is part of that `solution-building' - not doing things `to' people, but always willing to intervene to get things moving."

In a sign that the future of local government is set to become a key battleground for political parties nationally, Healey also uses the collection to highlight the "important and profound" differences between Labour's `progressive' localism and that talked up by the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives:
"The pavement-pamphleteers with `FOCUS' newsletters confirm the infinite contradictions of a politics that is fashioned for the popularity of a particular time and place and that rarely deals with the difficult long-term challenges facing many local communities.  

"Meanwhile, much Conservative interest in the local is founded on a traditional Tory mistrust of those who are not local and a mistrust of the state. This leads directly into the narrow-minded NIMBYs who make up many of Cameron's footsoldiers and to a willingness to see communities fail as they are not just set free but cut loose.

"Labour's localism is different. Our approach - our philosophy - is based on a real drive for greater decentralisation to the town hall, and then beyond to community and ward level. The practice of leading Labour councils is founded on our values of equity and opportunity for all. But a purposeful elected centre, in the town hall and Whitehall, is important as a bulwark against those who would use greater powers to marginalise the vulnerable or voiceless in our society."

- ENDS -

Notes for editors:

1. `Labour, leadership and locality: distinctive approaches to place shaping'' will be published by the LGA Labour Group at the Labour Party conference. Contributors include John Healey MP, Yvette Cooper MP, Mayor Ken Livingstone, Jessica Crowe, Cllr Steve Houghton, Cllr Sir Richard Leese, Cllr John Merry, Cllr Roy Oldham, Cllr Lord Peter Smith, Alison Seabeck MP, Mayor Sir Steve Bullock, Cllr Hazel Harding, Paul Wheeler, Cllr Sharon Taylor, Naomi Russell, Cllr Steve Morphew and Sir Jeremy Beecham. The collection also contains a foreword from Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP.

2. The publication will be formally launched during Labour party conference, at an event jointly organised by the LGA Labour Group and the Leadership Centre for Local Government. Featuring John Healey MP and Mayor Ken Livingstone, the event will take place on Tuesday 25th September, from 1pm-2pm at the Marriott Highcliff Hotel, Bournemouth.

3. For further details on both the publication and the launch event, please contact either Julie Grimble on 07773 335347 or 020 8858 1657 / julie.grimble@lga.gov.uk; or Louisa Thomson on 07773 335341 / louisa.thomson@lga.gov.uk

4. John Healey MP will also address a Leadership Centre for Local Government event at Labour party conference on Monday 24th September, entitled: `A Town Hall for All the Talents: re-inventing civic democracy', from 1pm-2pm at the Marriott Highcliff Hotel.