There is a tendency in Government to see the production of documents as an end in itself, which is why I am very clear that the publication of the White Paper Communities in Control last week is merely a means to an end. Next comes legislation in the Autumn, and then delivery of the policy in local communities. And that’s when it gets interesting. I was asked at a Progress breakfast on the day of the launch what success would look like. It’s a very good question. Obviously, I would like to see the policies making an impact in real communities. More social enterprises being established to run local assets. More people signing petitions to force their councils to tackle dumped cars or deal with empty properties. A wider range of people coming forward to serve as councillors, especially young people, women and people from ethnic minorities, so our councils reflect our communities. More citizen-led on-line initiatives to share information, create on-line communities and drive up standards in the public services. More people voting in local elections.

In short – more people feeling that they can directly influence what goes on in their neighbourhood, and more people willing to get involved. If you only read certain newspapers you would think that the most radical idea in the White Paper is allowing councils to enter voters into a prize draw. The truth, as ever, is very different. There are all kinds of policies which, taken together, have the capacity to change the relationship between the citizen and the state. But as I said on the day, these are simply steps on a journey. There is so much further to go before we can properly call ourselves a fully-fledged democracy. Democracy should not begin and end with a cross in a box. In a modern democracy there should be a myriad of centres of power, and a multiplicity of ways to express your views, influence decisions and control events.

Some people, especially those who already have power and influence, find all this quite a challenge. They say things to me like ‘but if we empower local communities, what about the BNP?’ But the fear that if we pass power to the people they might ‘do the wrong thing’ has been articulated since the debates about the Reform Acts or votes for women. In truth, given the chance, most people can make rational choices, take tough decisions, balance competing demands and behave decently. Your view of community empowerment boils down to whether you trust people or not.