The finale of chancellor George Osborne’s keynote conference speech in Manchester announcing a ‘devolution revolution’ will undoubtedly have set council hearts a flutter.
The surprise move, which will allow local councils to retain 100% of business rates, supposedly puts the ‘power’ in the Northern Powerhouse.
But as we know, with power comes responsibility, so keeping taxes worth £26bn must mean councils now become the engines of Britain’s business growth. Will they? I’m nervous.
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