No pain, no gain may be one way of describing the rationale for local government reorganisation, as heralded in the English Devolution White Paper Power and Partnership: Foundations for Growth, issued by the Government just before Christmas but, arguably, the sector has been in discomfort for longer than has been good for it already.
Perhaps it is the pragmatism and stoicism that has seen it through to this point that is reflected again in the number of areas which have expressed an interest in being part of the forthcoming first tranche of devolution discussions with Government.
What the gain ultimately scales up to achieve is one for the future, but it will be critical for the Government's overarching economic growth ambitions that these changes do not disrupt delivery of ongoing housing and other capital investment programmes.
Outcomes and deliverability are what we at Local Partnerships obsess about and exist to help with. We are working with established combined authorities on their delivery challenges and we have been supporting new unitary councils and combined authorities on their journeys to becoming effective delivery organisations too.
We are now shaping up to help with the structural changes ahead that will result in a new generation of organisations and ensure the expertise and experience of doing this elsewhere is accessible to those about to go through it themselves.
The Government will set out what it wants to see in reorganisation proposals, but it is likely that alongside evidence of solid political agreement, there will be a need to show how the changes will ensure:
- greater financial strength and resilience
- achievement of sustainable, higher quality services
- potential economies of scale and synergies realised
- overall improvement of governance and accountability
Within all of these, the complexities will need to be understood and worked through, considering the following:
- people
- land and property
- inance
- systems and technology
- democracy
- culture
We are available to help areas, from an independent and politically neutral perspective, formulate positions on these aspects and bring guidance, direction and capacity to resulting programmes of activity.
Please get in contact with me by email at Martin.Forbes@localpartnerships.gov.uk and for further information about our role and experience in supporting the sector please visit us at www.localpartnerships.gov.uk
Martin Forbes is senior dtrategy director at Local Partnerships
