Integrated budgets are important, but they are not the endgame. That's the message I've heard loud and clear in the conversations I've had with local leaders as we've been planning Total Place Now, our event next week (March 17) on place-based budgeting.
The announcement of five Total Place-style pilots came as a pleasant surprise in last year's Budget - even to those of us who have long campaigned for a return of the approach. Even more heartening is that the pilots are being jointly led with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government by the same Cabinet Office team delivering the Test Learn and Grow programme, which is all about changing foundational issues in the way government works to enable new approaches locally. In this case, Mayoral Strategic Authorities have been asked to work with their local government partners to submit proposals for pilots. The chosen options will be announced soon.
