Transcript National Indicator 7

Introduction to Localism
Robert Beard
Policy Officer
+ NAVCA, The Tower, 2 Furnival Square
SHEFFIELD S1 4QL
( +(0)114 289 3984
: [email protected]
: www.navca.org.uk/stratwork
• National Association for Voluntary
and Community Action
• a national charity
• a membership organisation:
– councils for voluntary services
– forums and campaigning groups
• a voice to policy makers
• an OCS strategic partner
The government’s programme:
• the vision: Big Society
• the policy: localism
• the strategy: decentralisation
Big Society
• not a programme
• an outcome
• 3 strands:
– voluntarism, philanthropy
and social action
– public service reform
– community empowerment
• “Civil Society” and “Civil
Society organisations”
Localism
Decentralisation
Planning:
local plans
Education:
free schools
Public Buildings:
assets of
community value
Police:
elected commissioners
Cuts:
local
implementation
Local government:
elected mayors
Public Services:
right to challenge
Health:
GP consortia
Big Society
• “won’t happen overnight”
• “10-20 year project”
• “a massive disconnect”
Nick Hurd, 16 November 2011
Localism Act
• new powers for councils
• new rights for local people and
communities
• planning reform
• make housing fairer and more
democratic
• incentives for economic growth
Localism Act
• new powers for councils
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decentralisation
general power of competence
elected mayors
return to committee system
• Doncaster votes for referendum
to abolish elected Mayor
• Nottinghamshire returning to
committee structure
Localism Act
• new rights for local people
and communities
– right to challenge
– assets of community value
– council tax rise veto
• includes ‘virtual’ and ‘causal’
communities – Greg Clark
Localism Act
• planning reform
– democratic and local control
• National Planning Policy
Framework
• presumption in favour of
sustainable development
• Select Committee calls for
redraft
Localism Act
• make housing fairer
and more democratic
– local decision making
– local control of social
housing
Localism Act
• incentives for economic growth
– give councils more stake in local
economy
– business rate discounts
– tax breaks
– rate supplements
• Local Government Finance Bill
Localism Act – will it deliver?
• danger of losing real expertise
• generic procurement officers
– a lot about process
– little about outcomes
• best bid, not best service
Real power for communities
• www.rp4c.org.uk/
Community right to challenge
• The provisions DON’T
– offer successful challengers the
right to deliver services
Community right to challenge
• The provisions DO
– trigger a procurement process
– no contract breaks
– open to all providers
• EU procurement law favours
large providers
Community right to challenge
challenge
• Further action
– big service deliverers
should work with local
providers
– social clauses
Modernising Commissioning
• Green Paper (December 2010)
– new opportunities in public service
delivery
– making public service markets more
accessible
– using ‘social value’ to inform
commissioning
– Civil Society support for citizen and
community involvement
Modernising Commissioning
• NAVCA response
– ‘payment by results’ risk to small CSOs
– commissioners must understand sector
– access to affordable professional
advice
– importance of ‘social value’
– training for commissioners
Which procurement rules apply?
EU draft procurement rules
• modernise and simplify
commissioning
• break down contracts – or
explain why not
• reduce documentation
• consider social impact
• needs European parliament
and ministerial approval
Public Services (Social Value) Bill
• public bodies must take account of
‘wider economic, social and
environmental well-being’
• consider whether to consult
beneficiaries
• NAVCA social value briefings
Procurement and commissioning
• NAVCA publications
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A Beginner’s Guide to Commissioning
Pathways Through the Maze
A Bridge Between Two Worlds
At Your Bidding