The Bill was the final opportunity to introduce recommendations from the 2007 Councillors Commission, which set out a wide range of proposals on how to make the job of being a councillor more attractive and realistic for a greater number of people – in particular, younger candidates, people with full-time careers, and women with young children. Surely, with European elections looming and public confidence in politicians from all parties at rock bottom (and the inevitable public sector spending cuts that local authorities will face), the case for giving people in communities real opportunities to influence decisions about local spending and services is greater than ever?

Of course, it’s not the end of the road for community empowerment. All three main political parties have made wide ranging public commitments to broadening public involvement in local decision-making and many elements of the government’s empowerment agenda did not need legislation to be introduced.  Participatory budgeting and neighbourhood charters are good examples. These activities are already happening around the country and will be adopted more widely if there is evidence that they work effectively.

On the other hand, there are some more radical ideas, such as the proposal to allow parish councils to be established in London boroughs that do need legislation to move forward.  There is still a possibility that this idea could be incorporated into the government’s Local Democracy Bill.  However, if government commitment to empowerment is waning, the real opportunities to revitalise and restore faith in local politics will be lost at the moment when an ‘Obama-style renaissance’ is most needed.