A Labour councillor said the party would deliver “big solutions” to problems facing the country.
Cllr Steve Norman, leader of the opposition group at Lichfield District Council, made his comments after a speech from the Sir Keir Starmer.
The party’s national leader told people Labour would “take back control” by transferring power to communities.
Cllr Norman, who was first elected to a district council in 1983, said:
“After 12 years of Conservative governments, chancellors and Prime Ministers, Sir Keir’s description of ‘sticking plaster politics’ describes the situation correctly – especially in local government.
“Councils have lost 60% of their funding since 2010 and council tax payers have had to pick up the cost, based on their value of their home rather than their income, at the same time services have been cut.
“No one driving around Lichfield district cannot notice the potholes that can take a year to repair, road signs that are dirty or covered by hedges – and God help you if you need social services or an ambulance.
“Devolution for England and giving power to local communities instead of the top-down power that the UK is infamous for is the way forward and, in fact, essential if we are to pass on a decent society to the next generations of Staffordshire residents.
“At last, there is a recognition that the big problems we have need big solutions.”
Cllr Steve Norman, Lichfield District Council
Sir Keir’s speech outlined how areas such as transport, energy, housing, culture and childcare would all be devolved under a Labour government.
Cllr Norman said:
“Before Mrs Thatcher and her ministers won power, I used to think that Conservative and Labour could have got together to agree a long-term plan for our railways.
“No one can believe that privatising the railways has been the answer to the needs of rail customers. “
Cllr Steve Norman, Lichfield District Council
“A district council..”
I agree Cllr Norman, we need a change, I think the challenge for Labour is convincing the electorate that they can make it. We cannot continue to tolerate the lies, misinformation, corruption and incompetence that has come to characterise Tory rule. Considering the ammunition that they have given him, Starmer is far too restrained. He really needs to go for blood, and probably half the population is willing him to.