AS the miserable turn-outs in last week's municipal elections showed, the real winner was apathy, inspired by local government being dull and meaningless to so many voters.

And that is so because town hall influence on people's lives has been so reduced by central government's overwhelming control of the purse-strings that councils have become virtual side-shows.

How right, then, is the call today by an all-party select committee of MPs for councils to be given greater powers to raise taxes from local businesses and residents so that their role, impact and accountability are increased and made more meaningful to the electorate.

Another effect of this would be an improvement in the calibre of the councillors serving on them - and interest and determination among voters in its staying high.

As we have often said, the decentralisation of power and the devolution of more of it to our towns and cities is long overdue.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.