May newsletter: the next five years
Author: Localis |
A bolt from the blue…
It might be a bit of a cliché, but the general election really has reaffirmed the notion that all politics is local. From the SNP’s domination of Scotland to the Conservatives overhauling the Lib Dems in the South West to Labour’s gains in London, the British political map is now an illustration of immense regional variation. David Cameron’s assertion that he will govern from a ‘one nation’ perspective is therefore sensible, especially given his slender majority.
Indeed the coming parliament promises to be a tumultuous one and for councils it will be no exception. Greg Clarke’s appointment as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, welcomed across the sector and political divide, is therefore a good start. He has plenty on his plate, but is a true localist, having pushed the decentralisation agenda longer than most of his colleagues have been in politics.
It is also good to see a whole host of new MPs who have backgrounds in local government. There are now former council leaders, cabinet members and councillors on all sides of the Chamber whose familiarity and grasp of local government should play a big part in any debate and push for devolution. We look forward to working with them.
…and what it means for the next 5 years
With the election now over, the Conservatives now need to ask themselves what they are going to do with their majority. Alex Thomson, chief executive of Localis, has written for LGC on what we local government can expect in the next five years.
He suggests that while we can expect the Conservatives to pick up where they left off, “the biggest story for local government in the next parliament will flow from the two topics that appear to be set to dominate politics in the near future: Europe, and Scottish home rule. The overarching theme of the next five years will be the question: who governs us? As MPs and the British public seek to answer this question, it will leave the door wide open to the talk of devolving further within England as well as federally.”
Click here to read the article in full.
Other media coverage
Alex has also recently discussed neighbourhood planning on Sunday Politics; spoken to Vice News on the practicalities of devolution and whether greater localism will affect national identity; and, been interviewed by Public Sector Executive magazine on integrating health and social care.
Upcoming work
Future of healthcare essays
In the next few months Localis, in partnership with Staffordshire County Council, will be publishing a selection of essays on the future of healthcare in the UK. With contributors from across the political divide and from all levels of governance, the publication will offer some fresh thinking for the post-election policy landscape.
Research and other publications
We are currently finalising a research project on estate regeneration which, while controversial, can often be the best approach to improve local amenities and deliver much needed new housing. We are also developing a project that will look at the role of cash on the high street, an issue key to supporting local economic growth. In the near future we will also be publishing a number of pamphlets on subjects as diverse as welfare reform, municipal bonds and housing delivery.
Events
Party conferences
With conference season soon approaching, we are currently putting together our programmes for the LGA and party conferences. If you are interested in working in partnership with Localis at these events, please email archie.maitland@localis.org.uk to discuss potential collaboration.
Council tax support: best practice seminar
Wednesday 10 June, 11:30am-1:00pm, Central London
Joseph Rowntree Foundation and New Policy Institute are launching new research which identifies the Council Tax Support (CTS) schemes that have been most successful in mitigating the impacts of reduced funding on working age recipients as well as council finances.
The aim of this event is to equip local authorities and policy-makers with examples of best practice that will assist in designing and implementing CTS schemes at a local level. For more information about this event please visit the JRF website. For a copy of the report email tom.peters@jrf.org.uk.