Localism - Communities and Local Government Committee Contents


Written evidence submitted by Localis (LOCO 110)

ABOUT LOCALIS

Localis is an independent think tank dedicated to promoting a localist agenda and challenging the existing centralisation of power and responsibility. We carry out innovative research, hold a calendar of events and facilitate an ever growing network of members to stimulate and challenge the current orthodoxy of the governance of the UK.

VIEWS ON DECENTRALISATION, LOCALISM AND THE BIG SOCIETY

Localis strongly believes that the decentralisation of power is absolutely vital for the improvement of public services and the reinvigoration of civil society. This should rest at the lowest appropriate level. We have therefore welcomed many of the Government's commitments to decentralisation including the break-up of RDAs, community budgets, localised planning and a greater role for local government in policing and health.

While we welcome very many of the Government's commitments, we do feel that there is still room for improvement, and many initiatives could go much further—particularly pooled and place based budgets, devolved financial responsibilities, and going further with increased powers and responsibilities.

KEY THEMES TO LOCALIS' WORK

¾  More funding should be controlled locally, and the flows of money should be passed upwards where appropriate, and not down from central to local government. Powers for local government should be ceded at the same rate at which financial controls have been devolved.

¾  Performance should be measured in a way that is relevant to local areas, and only compared on a national level where it is relevant. The removal of performance and inspection should be replaced with a broad and focused transparency agenda.

¾  Accountability must lie with elected local government and not with unaccountable quangos. As part of this councils should move towards a more commissioning based model

¾  Extensive financial incentives are needed for local areas to work together for the long term prosperity of places.

MAIN RECENT PUBLICATIONS

¾  Total Neighbourhood—Advocates initiating large scale neighbourhood and council-wide place-based budgets; realigning funding streams into early intervention initiatives that can save money.

¾  For Good Measure—Advocates removing CAA, and carrying out a self assessment; releasing locally relevant financial information.

¾  The Bottom Line—Advocated a more efficient use of assets and aligning cuts alongside a comprehensive analysis of key local priorities; evaluating existing capital investments to deliver tangible benefits and to make use of existing trading and borrowing powers. Also advocated the use of pooled budgets.

¾  Small state, Big Society—A series of essays that explore the international angle to the Big Society. The common ground was largely based on the

¾  Can localism deliver—A report looking at the prospect for local authorities working together, and a number of recommendations for how the future regional landscape can work together more effectively.

¾  With a little help from our friends—A report comparing local government internationally, in financial freedoms, constitutional protection, functions and responsibilities, and intervention from the centre.

CURRENT PROJECTS

¾  Can councils live without the formula grant - A project looking at pragmatically feasible ways to re-localise a proportion of business rates to give local areas a much larger incentive for growth.

¾  Responding to the CSR - A small report including a survey looking at how councils are and should be responding to the CSR - seeing it as an opportunity and not only a threat.

¾  The future after CAA - A report looking to link financial performance to locally defined priorities, and to allow comparison between comparable areas, using a bottom up model to determine a common framework.

FUTURE WORK AND THE BIG QUESTIONS GOING FORWARD

¾  Councils as commissioning and trading hubs - eg Can councils move away far more extensively from their provider role to a more strategic commissioner? And what mechanisms are there for councils to actually make a return on their investments?

¾  Housing - eg Where is the land that new homes will be built on? What are the prospects for a community right to build? And what future for housing targets?

¾  Planning - eg What are the pragmatic steps that will allow community groups to take a constructive role in planning? What future for the greenbelt? And how can the planning system support growth?

¾  The Big Society - eg What is preventing the take-off of the big society? Is there a role for Europe?

¾  The future of economic development - eg How should LEPS be encouraged and funded from the bottom up, and what is the right balance between political and business leadership?

¾  Local government finance - eg What is required so that all councils can live without the formula grant? What is the role of borrowing and financial innovation in this?

¾  General Power of Competence - eg What is the future of the GPOC, and how can it become a reality?

November 2010


 
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Prepared 9 June 2011