Devolution
New roles to ‘bash heads’ in Whitehall
Levelling up directors will act as champions for local government in Whitehall, a minister has told peers.
Arithmetic matters
The new director of IPPR North, Zoë Billingham, speaks to Ann McGauran about taking on the role at a time of political and economic turmoil, and gives her verdict on how the Government’s flagship levelling up policy is shaping up.
Clause 16 could 'emasculate' districts
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill 'makes unacceptable provision to transfer district functions to a county combined authority by regulations', says Ian Miller. The 'howling gap' is the lack of requirement for districts' consent, he adds.
EXCLUSIVE: Government 'risks battle' on moving districts' functions without consent
Districts will push to change the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill to ensure their functions cannot move to new combined county authorities (CCAs) without their consent, The MJ understands.
Devolve powers to tackle jobs crisis, council leaders urge
Local authority leaders have called on the Government to devolve more powers to councils to free them up to tackle the growing jobs crisis.
Future Forum: Go hyper-local to avoid 'grim' future
The Government needs to provide county deals quickly and councils need to simultaneously ‘go hyper-local’ to avoid a ‘grim’ future, according to the vice-chair of the Association of County Chief Executives (ACCE).
Levelling up must go beyond 'big ticket' projects
Efforts to level up communities must be felt at a local level for the policy to be viewed as a success by the public, politicians have been told.
England’s planning system is broken
Tom Stannard sets out the scale of the regeneration challenge, including the vital need to improve transport connectivity – and he says an unreformed planning system represents a real threat to the Government’s levelling up agenda.
Only 14% trust Government to solve cost of living crisis
Two thirds of people do not have confidence in national politicians to tackle the growing cost of living crisis, according to new polling from think tank New Local.
Putting people first
At a time when innovation and behaviour change are needed, a number of barriers are making it harder for councils to play a strategic role within system-wide partnerships to improve health outcomes. Ann McGauran reports.
Shared Prosperity Fund shortfall leaves a gaping hole at the heart of levelling up
The Shared Prosperity Fund allocations present a bleak picture, and represent serious cuts, but the concerns don’t end at the lack of money, says Henri Murison.
Zero progress on climate but devo can keep things on track
The Levelling Up White Paper’s relative silence on net zero represents a huge missed opportunity – unless the devolution genie is quickly let out of the bottle, writes Grace Newcombe.
Rhythms and rhetoric do not a devolution make
There is still a long way to go before the Johnson Government’s devolution rhetoric feels like a reality, says Heather Jameson
UK Shared Prosperity Fund: there is time to put flaws right
Lord Bob Kerslake says the UK Shared Prosperity Fund has fallen short on all of his three key tests of matching the scale of EU funding, delivering the Government's levelling up ambitions and advancing devolution.
Funding decision signals 'waning influence' of LEPs
The Government’s decision to slash funding for growth hubs and local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) confirms combined authorities will increasingly lead economic development, a former LEP chair has suggested.
EXCLUSIVE: Porter warning over fresh reorganisation push
Some district councils may seek unitary status to ensure they can influence the new wave of combined authorities, a senior Conservative councillor has warned.
LEPs due for integration into combined authorities by 2030
Local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) will be integrated into combined authorities by 2030, tracking the pace of the Government’s devolution agenda.
A way of doing politics differently
Can we do politics in new ways that engage people rather than being alienating, adversarial and fraught? Ann McGauran listened to the views of a Stronger Things panel.
O'Brien defends Sunak's lack of levelling up
Levelling up minister Neil O’Brien has denied the spring statement ignored the Government’s flagship policy and claimed levelling up is about the ‘totality of public spending’.
Gove pledges a 'waterfall of devolution'
Levelling up secretary Michael Gove has claimed there will be a ‘waterfall of devolution’ as powers cascade down to local areas.
