The outlook is gloomy

Carol Grant: director, Grant Riches Communications

• Increase image
• View all images

A confession. I have warmed to Alistair Darling. He may be the Billy No Mates of the financial world, but he can count me as a kindred spirit.

I've never thought of him as someone with much of a hinterland, to use Denis Healey's description of a minister's non-political life. Now I discover that he is also a fan of Leonard Cohen, one of the world's greatest songwriters.

Mr Cohen, like Mr Darling, is much misunderstood. He is stereotyped as a miserablist. But, as Alistair and I know, this is a vile slur. Cohen's songs are full of insight, humanity and, believe it or not, humour. Take Tower of Song, his tongue-in-cheek assessment of life as a musician.

It opens with: "My friends are gone and my hair is grey/I ache in the places where I used to play." It could have been written for the chancellor.

Mr Darling revealed his excellent musical taste in an interview in The Times where he gave such a gloomy prognosis on the economy that the newspaper illustrated it with a picture of Cohen on the front page.

 The inference was that we should all return to our bedsits, turn up the volume on Leonard's greatest hits, and top ourselves.

I'm feeling pretty cheerful about being back in the UK after three months away in Spain. Yet what's surprised me is how little has changed in local government.

Good old Bojo, in London's City Hall, has already seen one deputy mayor resign and spirited Sir Simon Milton away from the Local Government Association. Yet without him there would be no news at all.

In the government corner, all we have been offered is the new community empowerment white paper, Communities in Control. Some of the proposals, for example those implementing the recommendations of the Councillors' Commission, are useful.

But Mr Darling's dispiriting economic forecast does not sit happily with the notion of communities being in control. We are experiencing an economic slowdown — although reports of a recession are hopefully greatly exaggerated.

But in financial terms, this is precisely a time when communities are being buffeted by economic forces that are not within their control.

It is unfortunate for whoever came up with the title of the white paper that since its inception the national mood has changed, with daily headlines about fuel price rises, mortgage debt and repossessions.

While the white paper may strike a jarring note with the public right now, no one would envy the policy advisers who have to promote the idea of 'communities in control' while every newspaper reports financial hardship and on the high street there are permanent 'sale' signs in shop windows.

As taxpayers struggle to make ends meet, logic, never mind politics, dictates that councils should be focusing on two things. First, how can they make local government cheaper? Second, how can they best support local residents through the difficult times ahead?

Most councils would argue that this involves keeping out of people's way where possible and adding value where they do get involved.

There is perhaps a more fundamental problem with empowerment. I have yet to see the evidence of how this amorphous concept makes a significant difference to how people feel about their local council.

At the moment it feels like a distraction, and not one guaranteed to win the government any support, let alone votes. Is it any wonder that poor Alistair Darling has taken solace in the power of music? That's if 'solace' is the right word.

As Leonard says, in his Tower of Song: "I said to Hank Williams: how lonely does it get?/Hank Williams hasn't answered yet."