Sean Woodcock January 25: On the future of local government

Mon 13 Jan, 15:58

As a councillor for 13 years, I know just how hard those involved in local government work for their residents. But local government is not working.

For 14 years councils were starved of the funds that they need to provide the services that their communities rely on. The result is libraries and youth centres closed. Buses no longer running. Crises homelessness and social care.

When offers of funding came, there were either strings attached or it involved competing with your neighbouring authority in expensive bids.

England is one of the most centralised countries in the developed world.

The Institute for Government found that local government accounts for little over 20% of total spending in the UK, compared with around 40% or more in Germany, Belgium and other countries.

England also has some of the highest levels of geographic inequality in disposable income and productivity, higher than between West Germany and the former communist East Germany.

London and the South East attract 72% of new R&D-intensive jobs, and 45% of all private investment. We must stop leaving half the country out of our economy, and we must stop flying on only one wing.

If English cities outside of the capital met their potential compared to similar cities in other countries, the national economy could be £34bn-£55bn larger per year.

By a majority of two to one, millions today think that their local economies are held back by Westminster.

The English Devolution Bill White Paper is the Labour Government’s plan to give those with skin in the game the tools they need to make a difference.

The White Paper lays out the government’s plans to rebuild local government after 14 years of mismanagement and decline.

This means providing multi-year financial settlements, shifting to a fairer system which matches funding with need, and a proper partnership between central and local government.

It also announces a programme of local government reorganisation, working with councils to create simpler and more stable structures capable of delivering sustainable, high-quality public services.

In Oxfordshire this means fundamental change with no more split between the services provided by the county and district councils. Instead it will just be ‘the Council’ and I welcome it.

The landmark English Devolution Bill will deliver changes to the law to make the devolution framework a reality and ensure local leaders across the country have the levers they need to make a difference.

It’s about raising living standards, improving public services and building the homes we so desperately need – all key aspects of our Plan for Change.