Agenda item

The Chair invited Philip Clifford, Senior Adviser, to introduce the report.

Philip introduced the report which, following the recent publication of the Levelling Up White Paper, proposed three issues for the Board to consider as part its work programme over the remaining political cycle: further devolution deals and the devolution framework; the UK Shared Prosperity Fund; and the expected levelling up and devolution bill. It also asked Members for their views on the emerging work related to the government’s commitment to streamline growth funding.

Board Members made a number of comments and asked questions which related to the following points:

• The devolution legislation set out within the white paper and the timescales for the legislation.
• The awaited UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
• Priority three within the UKSPF and the need to address ‘people’ elements much earlier.
• How much government had grown centrally in order to ‘administer devolution’.
• Existing combined-authorities and mayoral areas’ consideration of the role of the Regional Schools Commissioner.
• The lack of clarity in relation to the role of districts set out within the devolution legislation.
• Additional financial support for London boroughs.

Philip and Paul Green, Adviser, responded to Board Members’ comments, setting out the following points:

• Timescales re the devolution legislation set out within the white paper would be confirmed by LGA officers as soon as they had received more information.
• A paper had been produced recently by the National Audit Office (NAO) which focused on growth in local government, financial allocation, and capacity.
• As part of the LGA’s improvement offer next year, there would be a focus on concentrating powers in the right places. Further information re the improvement offer would be submitted to a future meeting of the Board and raised at the LGA’s Annual Conference.
• In relation to the UKSPF’s timescale, LGA officers had received messages from civil servants confirming that more information would be released within the next two weeks. Timetables would be adjusted accordingly.
• With regards to priority three of the UKSPF, Mayor Rees and Cllr Bentley, Chair of the People and Places Board, had recently written to the Secretary of State relaying concerns that councils had raised in relation to the gap.
• It was anticipated that there would be a significant amount of flexibility regarding the investment planning process.

Decision:

• Board Members noted the report.

Action:

• Officers to submit a report to a future meeting of the Board re streamlined growth funding and continue to provide regular updates.