Board work programme 2019/20

Purpose of report

For discussion.

Summary

The report updates members on the current policy debate on devolution to local government and suggests activities to take forward the LGA’s activity in this area. Within this context, the paper then sets out the overall priorities for the Board in 2019/20.

Recommendation That Members comment on and agree the proposed work programme, including specific activities to take forward the devolution agenda. Action Officers to use members’ comments to inform a paper for the People and Places Board.

Contact officer:	Rebecca Cox

Position:	Principal Policy Adviser

Phone no:	0207 187 7384

Email:	rebecca.cox@local.gov.uk

Board work programme 2019/20

Background

As set out in the terms of reference, the People and Places Board represents the interests of non-metropolitan councils within the LGA. It shares a number of areas of interest with the City Regions Board and works jointly with them on issues such as devolution, skills and employment, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and local economic growth. The Boards’ makeup allows them to take a different focus or perspective on common interests, most notably concerning progress on devolution in England, where the LGA works with the principle of differential devolution.

The People and Places Board also leads the LGA’s policy development on digital connectivity (mobile and broadband) and in the last Board cycle undertook new work scoping out a possible role for councils in the future of rural land management in England.

This paper sets out a proposed work programme for 2019/20. Members are invited to comment on the overall shape and priorities, noting that rural land management, skills and employment, and digital connectivity are covered in separate papers for discussion later in the meeting. While officers have attempted to set out a programme for the whole year, it is likely that national or local priorities will change over that time. The Board and Lead Members will direct officers to adapt the work programme as and when this happens. While the current plan allows for some flexibility, adding new or expanded work may involve other work being scaled back to fit available resources.

Devolution

Devolution has been one of the Board’s core issues since its inception. Members have been clear that non-metropolitan councils have much to offer and should have equal access to any devolution offer available to local government. Throughout the introduction of devolution deals, combined authorities and directly elected Mayors, the Board has continued to make a strong case for devolution outside the large urban areas of England. As Government enthusiasm for widespread devolution waned, Board members refocused their efforts on empowering councils as leaders of place by engaging individual Departments on devolving powers and funding, for example on skills and employment or through Local Industrial Strategies.

Most recently, the Board published the final report of the Post-Brexit England Commission “The future to lead local places” in July 2019. The report was the result of widespread consultation with member councils and others at eight regional roadshows. While it covered a broad range of topics of interest to non-metropolitan councils, the report’s recommendations echoed the Board’s recent priorities: growing more productive and inclusive economies; shaping future investment in rural places; building better connected places.

The LGA’s annual conference publication, ‘Councils Can’, also set out the case for a new localism settlement for England that empowers councils, as the democratically elected leaders closest to their communities, to take on greater responsibilities for their places.

Following the publication of these reports, the new Prime Minister used one of his first speeches to turn the spotlight back onto devolution. In a speech on 27 July, he set out his aspirations for the country:

“there is an even more radical shift that we need to make now to deliver [the benefits of growth to all communities] and I have seen myself the changes that you can bring about in towns and cities and regions, when local people have more of a say over their own destinies. A say over their own destinies.

“And I do not believe that, when the people of the United Kingdom voted to take back control, they did so in order for that control to be hoarded in Westminster.

“So we are going to give greater powers to council leaders and to communities.

We are going to level up the powers offered to mayors so that more people can benefit from the kind of local government structures seen in London and here in Manchester. We are going to give more communities a greater say over changes to transport, housing, public services and infrastructure that will benefit their areas and drive local growth.”

A number of commentators have also raised the need for a refreshed relationship between national government, local government and communities following the UK’s departure from the EU. For example, the Policy Exchange’s August 2019 publication ‘Modernising the United Kingdom’ states:

“The UK Government should announce a new programme of devolution that gives the UK’s great cities and counties more effective control over how their place is run. This should include bolstering City Deals with places in devolved nations, deepening existing devolution agreements with mayoral combined authorities in England; and agreeing new devolution agreements with areas in England that have so far been overlooked.”

The Housing and Communities Select Committee has opened an inquiry into progress on devolution in England. The inquiry will “examine the impact of devolving increased powers in the cities and regions where deals have been agreed, and consider how any benefits can be realised in more areas of the country. It will investigate the effectiveness of the current strategy of developing bespoke deals region by region, and ask if increasing available powers without wider systemic changes would produce similar benefits. The Committee will investigate the roles of directly elected mayors, quality of scrutiny in decision making and public accountability.” The Board has submitted written evidence to the Committee (Annex A) focusing on the need to reinvigorate the devolution agenda in England; the case for greater devolution to non-metropolitan areas, and the need for devolution to be accompanied by a sustainable funding settlement.

It is likely that interest in English devolution will continue to rise over the coming months, as part of an expected national debate on democracy and representation; in the run up to combined authority mayoral elections, and in Government’s policy development. For example, we expect Departments flesh out the Prime Minister’s ‘levelling up’ ambitions, including through the devolution framework promised in the Government’s 2017 manifesto. The LGA will want to play a leading role in shaping the thinking on local government’s future.

The following activities are proposed to take forward the Board’s work on devolution:

With the City Regions Board, develop a paper setting out what the LGA would want to see in a devolution framework. Continue to engage with Ministers and officials to shape ongoing policy development on a new national/local relationship.

Commission work to understand how greater control of financial and fiscal levers might operate in non-metropolitan areas.

Pursue a programme of Parliamentary activity, including through select committee evidence and the APPG on reform, decentralisation and devolution, for which the LGA is the secretariat.

Refresh our media and campaigning materials.

Continue to develop our lobbying activity on devolution individual policy areas, as set out in the list of priorities below, including working in partnership with other Boards as necessary.

Members are invited to comment on the proposed activities and policy direction on devolution.

Board priorities

Given the above, the following priorities are suggested for the Board in 2019/20, building on its successful work in 2018/19.

A programme of engagement with Government and rural stakeholders to take forward the recommendations of the Post Brexit England Commission, with a focus on its work on the role of councils in rural land management following the end of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Continue to make the case for empowering local communities through councils across the UK, articulating the ambitions of non-metropolitan authorities and influencing Government’s Devolution Framework. This should include consideration of local government’s advisory role on the formulation of legislation following our departure from the EU and subsequent ending of our membership of the EU Committee of the Regions.

Seek to ensure the key elements of Government’s national economic strategy – Local Industrial Strategies, UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the LEP Review, fit with the priorities and ambitions of non-metropolitan authorities and that councils are well placed to support sustainable and inclusive growth. This would include continuing our sector-led improvement offer to councils on their work with LEPs to develop and influence local economic strategies.

Take forward the LGA’s lobbying work on skills and employment, building on our well-established Work Local policy to develop a plan for its practical implementation. We will continue to engage with key stakeholders and developing the Board’s ambitions on youth participation and lifelong learning.

Keep a watching brief on developments on rural broadband and develop its work on mobile connectivity in rural areas.

Board members are invited to comment on the overall balance of the work programme and priorities.

Implications for Wales

Wales is on its own devolution journey. We continue to work with the WLGA on issues of shared importance, including the role of local government post-Brexit and the details of the UKSPF.

Financial Implications

The Board’s activities are supported by budgets for policy development and improvement. Resources will be allocated as directed by members in support of individual objectives.

Next steps

Officers to develop a detailed programme of activity in line with members’ steer.

https://local.gov.uk/future-non-metropolitan-england-freedom-lead-local-places-final-report

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-speech-at-manchester-science-and-industry-museum

https://policyexchange.org.uk/publication/modernising-the-united-kingdom/

https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/housing-communities-and-local-government-committee/news/devolution-england-inquiry-launch-17-19/

https://www.local.gov.uk/parliament/devolution-appg

Currently, local government has a formal advisory role in the EU law and policy-making process through its membership of the EU Committee of the Regions. Councils have used this advisory role diligently, making sure that law-makers have good advice so that laws and policies governing local services can be implemented at the frontline of delivery. It is fundamentally important to replicate this advisory role post-exit, without creating new bureaucracies, so we can make continue to make better, more effective legislation.

https://local.gov.uk/local-industrial-strategies