When this government goes, as it surely will at the next General Election, one legacy it will have is taking doublespeak to a different level. They have taken the art of saying one thing and yet doing completely the opposite to Olympic standard. I’m sure we have all got our own examples, but as a leader and former leader of two local authorities I’d like to give two illustrations. The first is the whole wretched process of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and the second is planning and housing.

Plenty of verbiage around devolution in the manifesto. Giving power to local communities around decision making, bringing local government closer to local people. Nothing wrong with that, it’s what we need. So, what has the government actually done in practical terms. Firstly, it has conflated the whole devolution process of regional mayors with LGR. Instead of increasing local democracy and representation they are forcing councils to cull the number of councillors. Can someone explain to me how having fewer elected representatives increases democracy, that’s if you haven’t cancelled elections in the first place.

Devolution is meant to be about passing powers and resources down the food chain. Instead, we are directed by central government to create less representative mega councils overseen by an all-powerful mayor controlled by, yes you’ve guessed it, government ministers. Of course they’ll deny it, but if government controls the purse strings and directs how any monies can be spent it’s the same difference. It’s a bit like their claims of increasing resources to local councils, when what they mean is we’ll have to put council tax up.

On top of that the whole devolution, mayoral system seems to have hit the buffers. Mayors were meant to be our pathway to those promised extra powers and resources, but they’re being delayed across the country. Is it a coincidence that mayors, which will cost the government have been delayed, but LGR which will cost local councils and council taxpayers will go ahead. Despite us having to pay for this folly, Westminster remains in complete control.

The new housing document is out for consultation. I don’t know why they bother. It was the same with mandatory housing numbers. Consulted with the planning authorities; told they wouldn’t work, completely ignored local councils and went with the developers. It’s a tried and tested theory that has failed us for decades. Can I suggest to the minister, that rather than prancing around in his MAGA cap chanting ‘build baby build’, he takes the opportunity to radically change a broken system.

We’re told it’s all about housing need to support growth. I would suggest our housing need is for more social rented properties. We achieved this after the war when government embarked on widespread council house building. Nothing to do with the market or developer profit, all to do with addressing housing need. Now, and I quote from the Minister’s letter. ‘the Government recognises it may be necessary in specific circumstances to modify existing planning obligations to improve the viability of housing developments.’ In other words, profit is sacrosanct and if we can’t build any affordable then so be it. He also states rather euphemistically, ‘….will modernise the way committees operate.’ In translation, that’s all about taking decision making away from councillors and therefore local communities. As I said, doublespeak of the highest order.