The Boy Cameron gets co-operative

The Telegraph are reporting that Davy's going to announce Conservative "co-ops" which allow residents to take over the running of local services, including schools.

Hmm. Westmonster realises that she always seems to be the one widdling on everybody's fireworks, but foundation hospitals (similar premise) have hardly been a roaring success in engaging the local populace in the provision of public services. From the British Medical Journal, 2005:

The report [funded by the Nuffield Trust] shows that in most instances the boards of governors—the elected bodies established to oversee the running of trusts and to ensure their accountability to local people—are voted in by an electorate comprising only a few thousand members or less. In one case a governor was elected by only 95 votes.

Long live local democracy!

Another issue is, what safeguards will be put in place to ensure that the services aren't taken over by the green-ink element?

Schools with selection policies that discriminate against those who look as if they might be of foreign extraction? Communities receiving state funding for schools that preach religious hate? Educational institutions set up by James Blunt fans? The mind, as they say, boggles.

Still, let's wait and see.

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 8 Nov 2007 11:20 AM. Permalink