People and places update

LGA Executive, 7th July 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 3rd party supporters and detractors

• And – behind-scenes lobbying combined with judicious vocal campaigning

Supporters and detractors, believers and doubters

ImportanceH

L

On message

YN

DCLG

DEFRA

AC national outcomes

AC perf f’work

HMT

PMDU

NCC

No 10?

DCMS

DfES

HO

DH/CSCI

Councils perf f’workCouncils outcomes

LSC

OFSTED

NHS Confed

Performance framework - tactics

• Rewrite narrative• More aggressive on right battle

grounds• The difficult areas no-one can get right

e.g. customer satisfaction, vfm• Further work on use of audit • 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’s record)

• 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: New, single statutory spatial sub-reg

strategy 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

• Time is tight – propositions by end-Sept• Workshops in Sept with authorities to give real

case studies to test propositions – and tease out differentiated approach

• Detailed comments sought from Executive by 14 Sept, Groups Leaders then to oversee work

• Bilateral engagement for 3rd party endorsement of local gov role – RDAs, CBI, BCC, BRC, LSCs

• Harness national commentators and think-tanks

Summary

• Time right to seize initiative, with WP a milestone towards CSR07

• Reposition our arguments and re-double efforts both directly, via third parties, and in media

• Press hard on three key workstrands as will initiate domino effect, within overall narrative of bold devolution and radical shift of power to local people.

• Turn detailed propositions into permissive legislation and demonstrator pilots

• Be prepared to shift tactics if political environment changes rapidly