More powers to councils will deliver greater efficiencies, says Labour report
Author: Michael Burton in the MJ |
Local government can deliver better services more efficiently and help address austerity challenges if it receives extensive new powers, according to a new report for Labour leader Ed Miliband from a commission headed by three leading Labour council leaders.
In People-powered public services, launched today by the Local Government Innovation Taskforce, the leaders, Sir Richard Leese (Manchester City), Sharon Taylor (Stevenage BC) and Jules Pipe (elected mayor of Hackney LBC) argue that localising services currently run by Whitehall is a more efficient way of managing the public finances, basing their conclusions on practical evidence provided by local authorities.
The report recommends:
a new English Deal;
long-term funding settlements for local services;
greater local powers to integrate health and care;
a £1.5bn fund for troubled families;
new directors of school standards;
abolition of police and crime commissioners;
renew Sure Start centres; and
greater devolution for high-performing councils to tackle high cost demand pressures.
Sir Richard told The MJ: ‘Devolution is an efficiency and effectiveness issue.
‘It means we can do more with less.
‘We tried having a centralised state when there was a lot more resource and it didn’t work and it won’t work when we’ve got far less resource.’
Mayor Pipe added: ‘The Government should just set its agenda but let local government deliver it.’
Cllr Taylor told The MJ: ‘This is definitely a to-do list, not a wish-list.’