Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

I do not think that undermines my point because the Bill addresses the relationships and the flow of information between partner authorities. That is why it is so important. I return to the question of why we need a duty and whether the form of words ““to have regard”” would be sufficient. It would not be sufficient. I return to the point raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Maddock, about evidence. Why did the Councillors Commission think it was vital to have a duty? The noble Lord, Lord Best, said that the duty to promote democracy should be recognised as a core function of local authorities. The LGA supports the duty on the basis that it is not overly prescriptive and does not add to a council’s administrative and bureaucratic burden. I shall need to be able to reinforce that in what I say and put certain things on the record. Commenting on the commitment to take the duty forward in response to the Councillors Commission report, the LGA stated that the duty to promote democracy recognises and reinforces councillors’ community leadership and is welcome, and that it would ensure that the duty would not be overly prescriptive and would be based on council best practice. We concur with that, and I hope that we will be able to demonstrate that that is the approach we have adopted. The noble Lord, Lord Greaves, suggested that we should put—