“Taking back control” must also allow pioneering solutions to be tried out in local communities. Democracy is a process, not an event.
The future of local government will depend on whether May opts for cautious pragmatism or visionary radicalism. So far there are hints of each.
It may be that the tight timetable of the devo-deals process has left the public feeling shut out of the discussion.
Instead of tinkering around the edges, we need a real shift to create a system of governance that is closer to people and responsive to needs of different areas.