Need for democratically elected health authorities to have the independent power to levy taxes

For local bodies to be fully accountable to their electors, they must not be able to blame anybody else for their failures. So they should have independent powers to raise taxes locally, even though they will continue to be mainly funded, as now, from national taxation. This said, the abuses that I have mentioned have little if anything to do with inadequate resources.

Independent resources combined with accountability should prevent savage cuts in services without proper consultation.  There will be debate about the value for money of particular services, but there should not be sudden cuts.