Report

A Labour vision for community power

This report from UK think tank New Local looks at a Labour vision for community power.

A Labour Vision for Community Power is an ambitious agenda for action, driven by the principles of participation, prevention and devolution. It sets out how in practice a mission-driven approach to government would redistribute power out of Westminster, across our system and into the hands of communities. Far-reaching proposals would give people more control over their neighbourhoods and shift our system of public services towards prevention, away from high cost reaction in order to support better, more sustainable outcomes.

The vision has three core principles, each supported by a series of recommendations to effect meaningful change from day one of a future Labour government: Building community power in neighbourhoods to take back meaningful control; Shifting public services to prioritise prevention by making community power a reality; A strategic centre organised around a vision for community power which builds prevention and resilience across the system. Even against a challenging backdrop of broken public finances and big global challenges, this report is clear that there is another, better way of doing government.

The prize is a country where everyone can reach their potential, where public services have the greatest impact on people’s lives and where public trust in institutions is restored.