Transcript Localism – opportunities and challenges Chris Widgery, Assistant Director Strategy and Resources David Joyce, Head of Place shaping.

Localism – opportunities and challenges
Chris Widgery, Assistant Director Strategy and Resources
David Joyce, Head of Place shaping
Localism is a key theme of the
government
• Localism, decentralisation and “Big Society” are
key themes of the government
• Aims to give people and communities more
control over & ownership of local services,
assets and facilities
• Supported by Localism Bill; introduction of
general power of competence, community
powers to buy local facilities and to bid to take
over local state run services
What they mean when they say…
Localism
Do things at lowest possible level
and only involve state if
absolutely necessary
Decentralisation
Give away power to individuals,
professionals, communities and
local institutions
Big Society
People, neighbourhoods and
communities have more power &
responsibility and use it to create
better services and outcomes
“6 actions for decentralisation”
Big
Government
Big
Society
Whitehall hopes the Big Society will mean
a huge shift in power and responsibilities
Decentralisation &
transparency
A stronger civil society
The ‘supply side’,
pushing power
outwards from the
centre to localities,
communities, families
and people
The ‘demand side’ stimulating the
formation of social
capital and support
social action to take up
and use this power
The Localism Bill will enable much
of this change to happen
• General power of competence
• Powers for neighbourhood plans and
development orders
• HRA and social housing policy changes
• Power for local referendum on any local issue
• Community right to buy community assets
• Right to challenge and bid to run a service
• New GLA powers: policing, housing & regeneration
Community Right to Challenge
• Enable VCS groups, social enterprises,
parish council and local authority staff to bid
to run local services
• Outcomes -Increased VCS delivery of local
services?
• What support will be needed?
Community Right to Buy
• Communities can buy certain community
assets before they come on the open market
• Outcomes –assets of community value are kept
under community control
• What support will be needed to make bids?
• How to define the community?
Local referenda
• Local people will be able instigate a local
(non-binding) referendum on any local issue
if >5% of population support it
• Desired outcome – “invigorate local democracy
and increase community involvement in local
decision making”
• How can the VCS support the ‘real’ community
voice to be heard?
Planning measures included in Bill
• Give neighbourhoods more
ability to shape places through
‘neighbourhood plans’
– Empower communities to take
control
– Neighbourhood, not authority
led
– In line with existing London
Plan and LDF
– Ways of enabling small-scale
community development
– Permissive regime
– Subject to local referendum
Planning measures included in the Bill
(2)
• Appetite for neighbourhood
planning but generally for less
permissive regime, not more
• Requirement for prospective
developers to consult
communities before submitting
applications
• Abolition of Infrastructure
Planning Commission –
decisions taken by Ministers
• Community Infrastructure Levy –
reasonable proportion to be
passed to neighbourhoods
A new role for councils in an age of
localism?
• Market makers-encouraging and
supporting new public service providers
• Facilitating co-production of services
• Providing local leadership and
accountability
Key challenges for us
• How much of this is going to happen?
• How much do we want to buy into?
• How much untapped community
energy is there?
• Do people have the resources,
expertise, money & time to take over
the running of council services?