Contracts 'to ensure councils deliver'

Setting out plans to introduce "community contracts" on Tuesday, Blears said that residents should be able to obtain guarantees that councils would tackle local environment issues.

The contracts would include a form of redress if councils failed to deal with problems such as graffiti, drug dealing or dirty streets.

However, financial compensation would only be provided when there had been very serious failures.

"Those who really believe in delivering for the people they serve should also have the confidence to commit to some form of redress if those agreements are broken," Blears told the New Local Government Network.

"People rightly expect a good standard of service and redress when things go wrong. When trains are delayed they know they are entitled to refunds or compensation.

"Improving transparency for other public services on a similar scale will not only improve standards but will also increase confidence in local democracy."

She said that services had improved drastically as a result of "actively involving local people who are best placed to spot problems and come up with ideas to solve them".

"Charters or so-called 'community contracts' will help councils, police and health authorities and local people to work together in tackling the issues that matter, improving their local neighbourhoods and improve public satisfaction," she added.