Photo by Jiyeon Park on Unsplash
We have received a number of enquiries about the new Pevensey Councillors, this article looks at the context of the new council and the relationshio with the Localism Act of 2011—Bay Life, 26 March 2018
Who are the new Pevensey councillors, parishioners have asked: Jayne Howard and Paul Scott are the new councillors
Jayne Howard is known locally and has been involved in the promotion of many major events, including Eastbourne Airbourne and the first Eastbourne Balloon Festival. She is already helping to prepare for the Vehicles of Yesteryear event in April here in Pevensey Bay. She is also advising the group working to develop the first Arts and Literature Festival here in Pevensey Bay in August, She clearly has experience in relation to the promotion of communities, local regeneration and economic activity that connects directly with communities in the form of major event based activity.
Paul Scott, we understand, is new to the community, but has already served as a parish councillor elsewhere in the country and appears to be a very able man.
What is interesting to see is the electrification of the new Pevensey parish council and engagement with parishwide matters in a pro-active and informed way.
Fifteen years ago, we are reliably informed, people attending Pevensey Parish Council meetings could witness councillors that had fallen asleep.
This is clearly no longer the case, and there is engagement with many key questions in both Pevensey and Pevensey Bay.
The council now is also led by a man of calibre and organisational experience, Peter Lowton. He has both the vision but most importantly, the experience, to take the council forward.
Since the Localism Act of 2011 there has been a necessity for all parish councils to begin to connect with the 21st century.
Noteworthy that the most important Local Act, perhaps since 1896, was introduced by a coalition Government
This is what Greg Clark MP, Minister of State for Decentralisation said in November 2011 in introducing the Act.
“The time has come to disperse power more widely in Britain today.”
The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister, Coalition Agreement, May 2010For too long, central government has hoarded and concentrated power. Trying to improve people’s lives by imposing decisions, setting targets and demanding inspections from Whitehall simply doesn’t work. It creates bureaucracy. It leaves no room for adaptation to reflect local circumstances or innovation to deliver services more effectively and at lower cost. And it leaves people feeling ‘done to’ and imposed upon – the very opposite of the sense of participation and involvement on which a healthy democracy thrives. I have long believed there is a better way of doing things. Eight years ago I wrote a book called Total Politics which set out the case for a huge shift in power – from central Whitehall, to local public servants, and from bureaucrats to communities and individuals. Today, I am proud to be part of a Government putting this vision into practice.
The landscape of decision making with all local authorities has been radically changed by the Localism Act of 2011. Parish Councils are now centre stage in that decision making process at a local level, and Pevensey Parish Council has clearly recognised that this is the case, perhaps, it could be argued, not before time.
Interesting to see that with Pevensey Parish Council, in the hands of some able people, that the vision expressed with the birth of the Localism Act in 2011 is being put into practice in Pevensey Bay.
