What lies in store for local government in 2013?
Author: Steven Howell, in Guardian Professional |
Social care and housing will dominate the agenda and public health will show government what authorities can do
You have to feel sorry for the Mayans. First they were conquered by the Spanish, then they became synonymous with predictions of disaster and destruction. But the world didn’t end in 2012 and local government continues along with it, with plenty in store for in 2013.
There have been plenty of noises from councils of all tiers and colours that they were feeling the strain. While it’s good news that local government avoided the Treasury’s additional 1% cut in 2013-14, further additional cuts are planned in 2014-15. With at least one council already branded unsustainable, let’s hope there aren’t more to come in 2013.
Can an injection of localism save the health and social care system?
The government’s health reforms come into effect in April 2013, marking a watershed moment for the future of health and social care. Health and wellbeing boards and the transfer of many public health duties is a major opportunity for local government to show what it can do through joined up working and making the most of its local intelligence.
With initial local public health budgets due to be announced imminently, councils must make the case this year for greater localisation and adequate funding for the duties at hand.
As for social care itself, no solutions to the astronomical future costs of these services have been settled on. Many, Localis included, will make the case for reform, but don’t hold your breath for an agreement in 2013.
Planning for the future
The fact remains that the level of house building is not where anyone would like it to be. This year will see further tweaks to the planning system, but the vitally important outcome is simply getting houses built.
With the country desperate for infrastructure to stimulate growth, we are at a crossroads. If local government had real freedom to borrow against its housing stock for example, it could play a huge part in helping Britain to get building again.
So much for doom and gloom?
The first trading day of 2013 saw the FTSE100 rising above 6000 for the first time in six months, nearing pre-recession levels. If the economy starts to pick up and Britain starts to grow again the picture might just begin to look a little rosier, but that’s a big if.
The government is desperate to make this happen, and there are signs that senior figures are open to localist solutions to get Britain growing. Community budgets are being taken seriously, and while they are certainly not the sole answer to local government’s financial woes, they may represent the blueprint for the future of public services.
At the midpoint of the toughest parliamentary spending period in more than a generation, it’s time for an end to an “us versus them” mentality.
Steven Howell is a senior policy officer at Localis,.