Memorandum by Bolton Council (RG 82)
In Strategic Housing at Bolton Council we welcome
the opportunity to comment upon and influence the debate that
is currently underway on the future of regional working. Housing
is one of the policy areas within the remit of local government
that is particularly affected by the move towards regional working.
Therefore in response to the consultation on the future of regional
government we have prepared the comments set out below.
THE POTENTIAL
FOR INCREASING
THE ACCOUNTABILITY
OF DECISION-MAKING
AT THE
REGIONAL AND
SUB-REGIONAL
LEVEL, AND
THE NEED
TO SIMPLIFY
EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS
In our region the North West Regional Assembly
has the remit of Planning, Transport and Sustainability; it has
responsibility for development of the Regional Spatial, Planning
and Housing Strategies and has involvement in developing the Regional
Economic Strategy. Yet the assembly is unelected and not directly
accountable for decisions it makes on key issues in the region.
The lack of accountability is a concern; there must be representation
for all of the constituent areas within the region.
If regional working is no longer seen as the
way forward in light of the "no" ballot in the North
East then it is important that the future way of working is quickly
resolved and that the concerns above are overcome. A potential
solution to this problem is offered by the concept of city regions.
City regions (or sub regions) are areas that
encompass both a city and its hinterland. City regions provide
distinct localities, economies, commuting patterns and most importantly
cultural identities. Building on the natural sphere of influence
that cities have should make city regions acceptable to the public
at large and provide an entity with which stakeholders and agencies
can readily engage.
Sub regional working has the added benefit that
it can move forwards by building upon the work of the existing
structure. The most appropriately placed organisations to facilitate
this are democratically accountable local authorities and their
local strategic partnerships; the move to work sub regionally
should evolve from the lower tiers, this natural progression would
lend sub-regional working the democratic legitimacy that it needs
to make it credible. The remit of the sub-regional group would
be to provide a strategic overview for the region and facilitate
closer integration between disciplines to ensure maximum benefits
for the whole city region. Implementation and delivery would be
the responsibility of the individual local authorities.
As part of the review of regional working there
must be a simplification of the existing arrangements. There are
numerous agencies and quangos working within the housing field
in the North West region and Greater Manchester sub region. There
is a need to rationalise these groups in order to facilitate better
joint working and prevent overlapping work; it is essential that
one body oversees these groups.
THE POTENTIAL
FOR DEVOLUTION
OF POWERS
FROM REGIONAL
TO LOCAL
LEVEL
We would support the devolution of powers from
central government but it must be devolved to the appropriate
level within the regions. The city region needs powers fitting
to it as the body responsible for the strategic overview; whereas
on a local level devolved powers would need to be meaningful to
people living there.
The creation of a new governance structure for
devolved power that functions well, meets the needs of the majority
of constituent organisations and is well received by the public
would not be a straightforward process. New structures must be
carefully considered to ensure that there is no duplication of
effort and therefore a less efficient use of resources. A gradual
transfer to new ways of working would hopefully make new structures
acceptable to those that work with them as well as the electorate.
THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF CURRENT
ARRANGEMENTS FOR
MANAGING SERVICES
AT THE
VARIOUS LEVELS,
AND THEIR
INTER-RELATIONSHIPS
Local authorities have a vast array of services
and responsibilities; from grounds maintenance to schools to economic
development. They also work in a number of partnership arrangements.
This range of expertise means that local authorities are best
placed to deliver change tailored to the local level. What is
not necessary is an extra tier of government that will replicate
any of these functions. A city region should build on the strengths
of local authorities and should aim to build consensus, share
knowledge and facilitate joint working; this will have a greater
positive impact on the whole city region and prevent development
of contradictory policies and strategies. In other words it is
the strategic role that needs to be developed for city regions.
Linked to this is the need for robust knowledge and information
gathering systems to inform strategic development.
THE POTENTIAL
FOR NEW
ARRANGEMENTS, PARTICULARLY
THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF CITY
REGIONS
We believe that city regions will be the most
successful way of promoting economic competitiveness and raising
productivity levels closer to the levels achieved by our European
counterparts. The benefit of the city region approach is a stronger
identity to promote to inward investment and compete within the
European and global market. Other benefits of the city region
are to provide a strategic overview of transport, spatial planning
and housing. This is the principle benefit of the city region—a
city region can look at the bigger picture yet with its partner
organisations understand the priorities needed on the ground;
a powerful and representative city region can make a stronger
case for essential schemes or areas in need of investment. A city
region approach is also appropriate in spatial planning where
there is the challenge of preventing urban sprawl and utilising
greater proportions of previously developed land. With housing
new guidance states that authorities should work together to examine
needs and demand. This is necessary as housing markets do not
follow local authority boundaries; there are a number of flows
throughout the city region; so joined up working is already seen
as best practice. The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities
(AGMA) has recently commissioned consultants to carry out an analysis
of the housing market across the sub region. Other examples of
this are the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders at Oldham and
Rochdale and Manchester and Salford. This joint working supports
the view that city regions can grow organically from existing
links, particularly for city regions like Manchester where there
is a strong identity and a history of achieving joint initiatives
upon which to found a new organisation.
If city regions are to be formed then they need
to be high profile so that they are recognised by all as lead
organisations. They must be set up with a clear remit and provide
a strong strategic lead. This format would overcome objections
that the public had to regional assemblies.
The move to larger organisations seems to be
a common theme within the public sector with proposed changes
to police authorities and primary care trusts. If there is to
be a change to a new style of sub regional working there needs
to be an awareness of the short comings of the Metropolitan Counties
that were abolished in 1986 so that they are not repeated. If
city regions are to be successful they need to be well resourced
otherwise it will be difficult to foresee any benefits that will
be derived from forming them; if the rationale is to cut costs
by sub regional working then city regions will fail to deliver
any additional benefits causing cynicism with the process and
local leadership in general. City regions should be about better
use of resources and Gershon efficiencies not cuts
THE IMPACT
WHICH NEW
REGIONAL AND
SUB-REGIONAL
ARRANGEMENTS, SUCH
AS THE
CITY REGIONS,
MIGHT HAVE
UPON PERIPHERAL
TOWNS AND
CITIES
This is an issue with particular relevance to
Bolton which may be considered a second tier settlement within
the Manchester City Region. If city regions are created they must
be developed inclusively so that they have the potential to benefit
all parts of the sub region. This is why they need to be representative
of all of the local areas. If city regions are successful in raising
economic performance then it is possible to envisage that all
areas even the peripheries will gain from a joined approach. If
city regions are not correctly set up with mechanisms to counter
uneven development then it is likely that the core areas will
grow at the expanse of the others. The city region approach could
provide a new perspective in tackling deprivation. The problems
of inner urban areas—the parts between the economic centres
and the affluent suburbs—are amongst the most serious facing
society today. The areas of concentrated worklessness, deprivation
crime and poor housing conditions could be better tackled by the
city regions that re-unite the core and the suburbs.
THE DESIRABILITY
OF CLOSER
INTER-REGIONAL
CO-OPERATION
(AS IN
THE NORTHERN
WAY) TO
TACKLE ECONOMIC
DISPARITIES
Closer inter-regional co-operation is essential
to enable city regions to develop in harmony and prevent conflicting
aims. It should promote a more efficient use of resources. Where
city regions share boundaries there may be shared priorities.
For example Bolton would be part of the Manchester City Region
but still has links to Lancashire on its northern boundary. If
economic disparities are to be tackled then city regions must
be well resourced to successfully compete with London the South
East.
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