Localism agenda
Local government is currently very high on the political agenda. The Lyons Inquiry, reported in March 2007 and a local government Bill is currently going through parliament. Although it doesn’t represent a new funding settlement for local government, or any major reform, the Bill does represent a general trend towards giving power back to local government. The Bill also demonstrates a growing consensus about the role of councils as 'place shapers'.
What are the implications?
- A more devolved local government
- Opportunities for councils to take on a role as ‘place shapers’ of neighbourhoods or communities.
- Tensions between local and national government (in terms of funding and decision making).
- Increasing public engagement in decision making at a local level.
- Increasing complexity of local democracy
- Increasing difference and inequality between different areas.
Moving forward
Many VCOs have welcomed the elements of recent local government policy which increase local flexibility. However, there is a conflict between local autonomy and equity across the country.
- Is your organisation putting out conflicting messages when it comes to debate on devolved power?
The local governance policy agenda appears to be constantly changing and shifting. This presents challenges for VCOs in keeping up to date with developments.
- Can you define your strategic priorities in terms of who you need to influence?
Want to know more?
Briefing on Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill 2006
Published by: NCVO
Date: 2006
Format: Web and PDF
What is it? A briefing for the voluntary and community sector on the implications of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill 2006.
How useful is this? This provides a good introduction to the Government’s plans to devolve power to a local level and emphasise local government’s leadership role. It provides a background to the bill, setting it in a wider context of local government modernisation, before setting out its main provisions and outlining next steps. It also highlights key areas of the Bill that involve the voluntary and community sector.
Other comments:
The Lyons Inquiry into local government: delivering devolution?
Published by: IPPR – a left of centre think tank
Date: 2007
Format: PDF
What is it? A paper exploring the headline conclusions from the Lyons Inquiry and the Government’s reaction to these.
How useful is this? A short paper that includes analysis of: delivering devolution; the role of local government; and funding. Reactions from Ministers are included throughout the analysis and it concludes by looking at what will happen next. The paper calls on Ministers to deliver short term actions from the inquiry and to develop a more radical long-term vision for devolution to local government.
Other comments:
All Our Futures: The challenges for local governance in 2015
Published by: The Tavistock Institute – for Communities and Local Government – a government department
Date: 2006
Format: PDF (612KB)
What is it? A research report examining the impact of key issues and trends influencing local governance and public services in the future.
How useful is this? This report examines social, economic, organisational, technological, cultural and political factors to identify what society will be like in 2015 and uses these findings to explore the implications for local government and governance. It looks both at functions and framework for local governance, and concludes that: community leadership; collaboration between key players in a locality; and engagement between local people and the state will be the most important functions
Other comments:
Published by: Public Finance – an internet magazine for the public sector
Date: 2007
Format: Web
What is it? Following the report of the Lyon’s Enquiry into Local Government and the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill, this article explores progress so far on the local government agenda.
How useful is this? Using a case study of a council acting on the ‘localism’ agenda, this article highlights some of the gaps between central government policy and delivery. It argues that a more joined-up central government is needed and highlights potential problems if the gap between policy and delivery continues. It looks progress on the local government agenda so far with opinions from a number of commentators, including Michael Lyons’.
Other comments:
Created on 11:57 Mon 30/Jul/07 by Dave
Recent discussion
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Dhara
The localism agenda is moving forward at a rapid pace, and the requirements of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act are now being implemented. NCVO have produced a briefing on some of the developments .
In addition to this, the Sustainable Communities Act also passed last year. DCLG have published a guide to the Sustainable Communities Act
DCLG have now released the final guidance you may also be interested in reading NCVOs briefing and response to the consultation on the draft guidance
DCLG have also published a Principles for third sector representation on Local Strategic Partnerships
The new performance framework for localities will inevitably have a huge impact on locally based and locally operating voluntary and community organisations.
LSPs will continue to grow in importance as the main vehicles to agree the vision of, and priorities for, localities; Local Area Agreements will be the delivery mechanism to achieve these priorities.
Dhara
I thought it might be useful to follow the above post with some more info on how the government is moving this agenda forward. The Communities in Control White Paper was published in July, and it has been accompanied by a raft of consultations, including:
NCVO has responsed to these consultations.
Communities in Control has been heralded by the government as the next step in terms of the devolutionary agenda – with last years Local Government Act devolving power to the town hall, will this white paper and the forthcoming Act really devolve power to people?
I think that localism and empowerment are certainly going to be high on the political agenda for some time to come. Devolving power and the questions around how to get more people involved in local decision making are of interest to all political parties. Following the publication of their recent green paper on civil society, it will be interesting to read the forthcoming Conservative ‘centre-right’ local government green paper and learn more about what they have planned for localism and empowerment.
The issues discussed in the white paper have also been debated in the media and the blogosphere quite extensively, with wide ranging opinions and many questions posed – can you really legislate for greater citizen engagement? Are voting incentives akin to bribing people for their votes? and is engagement delusory?