Local Matters

We are now just six weeks fromWales’ local government elections. Witness the big yawn from our national elites who are convinced that the parochialism and personalities of local councils can have no relevance to the huge challenges facing our economy and public services. Anticipate the tired clichés of our national media as they gear up to present the keen tussle of people and politics in Upper Cwm Twrch as but a barometer of the political fortunes of Cameron, Clegg and Milliband.

What is not recognised is that the answers to so many of the global challenges of the 21^st century require that we re-invent and re-invest in our local actions and local relationships. In the next five years the UK Government’s spending plans will lead to a further 15% shrinking of the Welsh public service. In large part we protect our communities by ensuring that the remaining public service focuses on supporting the mutual relationships that continue to define our local communities.

Over 80% of social care has always been provided by family and friends; the role of government is to act very locally to support carers in maintaining independent living. To make our schools ever more effective we need to retain their community basis so that the inter-relationship between the child, the extended family and the teacher is ever more developed. To protect our environment from global warming and degradation we need to work with local people as they recycle their waste and innovate in controlling and creating their own energy. To develop our economy we need to develop models of skills development and local banking that root a business into its local communities.

Now that Rowan Williams has detached himself from the Anglican Church’s obsession with sex, he may find time to develop his relationship with the Bevan Foundation and explore further his thinking on “associational socialism” and a “left inspired version of localism”- phrases used in his recent New Statesman leading article.

As he does so, he may help us disrupt the plans ofWales’ political elite to take the local entirely out of Welsh government.

Paul Griffiths is Community Councillor for the Ward of Maesyfelin in the Community of Pontyclun