People and places update LGA Executive, 7 th September 2006
Context • Cautious government – whose WP ? • Uninspiring WP – not radical devolution but lightening central burden • Emphasis on what local government needs to do i.e. empowering citizens, making efficiencies rather than new constitutional framework and transforming services • WP important but only a milestone • Other important levers of influence e.g. Varney, Leitch, Barker, Eddington, leading to CSR 07 which will be key for crucial national outcomes
Tactics • Reposition and re-write the narrative, to focus on: – Better outcomes for people and places through radical redesign and devolution – Local people put in the driving seat in improving public services: deregulation and removal of national targets a means to that end – New performance framework externally rigorous not soft peer review • identify domino effects: – success on national outcomes will unlock design of performance framework – economic levers depends first on moving LAAs to a different place (totality of funding; contract between partners at local level)
Tactics • Up ante with government on key work strands: – National outcomes and performance framework – Economic growth levers – Closer to people, • But at same time target key 3 rd party supporters and detractors • And – behind-scenes lobbying combined with judicious vocal campaigning
Supporters and detractors, believers and doubters H Importance No 10? HMT Councils outcomes Councils perf f’work PMDU DH/CSCI DfES DCLG AC perf f’work HO OFSTED DEFRA N Y NCC AC national outcomes NHS Confed On DCMS LSC message L
Performance framework - tactics • More aggressive on right battle grounds • The difficult areas no-one can get right e.g. customer satisfaction, vfm • The role of inspectorates as primary ‘doers’ or performance monitoring • National outcomes
Our proposals • Some 30 national outcomes agreed with government at a fairly headline level • Included in every council’s community strategy and the strategic plans of other public service providers • Supported by a small number of nationally negotiated and more specific targets • Supported by larger number of locally drawn ambitious targets
Next steps • Consensus on outcomes to be reached – bilaterals with civil servants and stakeholders underway – series of meetings with councils planned throughout early autumn • Practical implications i.e. levers for delivery and influence, specific contributions partners make to be worked through • Next iteration with more specifics for discussion with ministers mid October • CSR07 key influencing channel
Economic growth levers - tactics • Develop very concrete and specific propositions for a bold devolution – to help Ruth with her colleagues • Push hard ourselves on the Ministry doors that are partially open – Transport, Skills and Worklessness • Address accountability “for when it goes wrong” coupled with hard examples of LA success on big projects (and comparison with gov) • Exploit key commentators and advisers • Redouble efforts with key partners
Economic growth levers - propositions • Transport: � ability to manage and get services delivered that meet the strategic economic needs: through powers over buses (franchising) and local rail networks � ability to raise revenue for re-investment through eg: road pricing; fare setting; new routes, including borrowing capital resource against income streams; tax increment (development of BIDs?) � extending powers and influence to cover major roads � Role in rail strategy and station improvement � drawing down planning and regeneration powers – investment decisions at local level backed by money raised locally
Economic growth levers - propositions • Skills and Employment: � LSCs restructured and statutorily able to fully engage in new style LAA: their local strategies aimed at delivering LAA vision for the locality, within funding aligned to LAA vision � devolved DWP benefits policy to allow interventions to meet local conditions – eg flexibility in rules on timing at which welfare to work programmes for lone parents kick in � reinvestment locally of benefits savings – P&P vision of next generation of LAA would facilitate this
Economic growth levers - propositions • Planning: � planning system that allows a more entrepreneurial and creative approach by removing clutter: � integrate Local Dev Framework and community planning systems into single system � remove bureaucracy and second-guessing from Planning Inspectorate work – review of process not de novo � tougher enforcement powers – remove right of appeal against council enforcement notice � remove minor households requirements � transfer SoS right of appeal � planning decisions derived from vision for the place: � councils given explicit role on strategic land use decisions coupled with tariff system better showing local benefit � the LAA or super-LAA vision for strategic development to drive subsequent decisions in individual councils � front-line councillors working with local communities on planning, to improve ‘their’ space
Economic growth levers - propositions • Bringing together economic regeneration function/tools: – local authority given clear lead role in legislation as convenor of players and assets to lead vision for local economic growth combined with social justice – regional strategies to be streamlined into single broad regional spatial, economic and housing plan guided by strong local political input – governance structures to develop organically, based on P&P-type next generation LAA, also able to handle capital funds – to allow regeneration funding to support vision
Economic growth levers - propositions • Bringing together economic regeneration function/tools: – development of ‘single pot’ to city region/sub-reg partnership – city region/sub-reg partnership to take on role of Reg Housing Board and allocate capital monies – RDAs better held to account through involvement in LAAs/super-LAAs – Funding locally derived, with local public sector borrowing outside the PSBR golden rule
Economic growth levers – next steps • Series of workshops with authorities to provide real case studies to test propositions – and tease out issues around differentiated approach • Bilateral work to achieve 3 rd party endorsement about local gov role – RDAs, CBI, BCC, BRC, LSCs • Harness national commentators and think- tanks
Summary • WP a milestone towards CSR07 • Reposition our arguments and re-double efforts both directly, via third parties, and in media • Press hard on these key workstrands but within overall narrative of bold devolution and radical shift of power to local people • Turn specific propositions into permissive legislation and demonstrator pilots • Be prepared to shift tactics in case political environment changes rapidly
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