Localis policy webinar: Family silver – properly valuing local government assets
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Against the ongoing backdrop of constrained public finances and mounting service pressures in local government, controversy over the sale of council assets has become a common occurrence across the country. Faced with Best Value Notices, capitalisation directions and section 114 notices, local authorities are being placed in the position of making deeply unpopular decisions, offset only partially by government policies such as the Community Right to Bid and its extension in the English Devolution Bill, the Community Right to Buy. Whilst these mechanisms create pathways to community ownership in certain cases, longstanding criticisms over the uneven distribution of capacity to buy and manage local assets between communities remain pertinent.
Beyond the obvious concerns over ‘selling the family silver’, the rush to dispose of council assets to meet short-term financial demands runs counter to several important policy directives. There is a tension with the government’s focus on driving growth through the leveraging of public assets and council powers into attracting long-term investment in local economies. Furthermore, a strict balance-sheet approach to asset valuation and disposal risks missing opportunities to properly utilise local assets for inclusive growth. There is also the consideration of social infrastructure and its myriad benefits to public health, community cohesion and the quality of life in place – issues which are themselves important underlying factors in the delivery of good growth.
Aims & objectives of policy webinar
This webinar will bring together stakeholders from government, academia, civil society, and the wider policy landscape to examine the case for a rethink in the approach taken by government to council assets and their disposal.
Together, we will investigate the potential for novel and innovative measures to properly value the role that individual council assets play as in the social and economic fabric of a place, identify the key barriers to achieving an overhaul in policy and spotlight pioneering examples of council asset management which benefits the health and wellbeing of local communities. By doing so, Localis aims to critically analyse potential policy towards galvanising cross-sectoral support for legislative change and catalysing the alliances necessary to drive a new way of thinking about council asset management, in the context of the government’s wider reforms to the local governance ecosystem and drive for sustainable economic growth.
Guiding questions
- What is the current lay of the land for councils as they seek to deliver value for residents whilst maintaining local public assets?
- How can we properly value the economic, social and health potential of council-owned assets?
- What can the government do to provide alternatives to asset sales for cash-strapped councils?
- How can community control over assets be supported, in terms of financial viability and capacity support?
Timing
Tuesday 23rd September, 11.00 a.m. to 12 midday via MS Teams.
Speakers
The webinar will be chaired by Localis head of research Joe Fyans, joined by Frontier Economics’ Sarah Snelson and Third Life Economics’ David Marlow. More speakers to be announced.