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Warm words on localism have yet to turn into action, MPs on the environment committee have been told by the Local Government Association.
The energy and climate change committee heard councils' fears they would be under funded by proposals for national policy statements on energy.

Cllr Richard Kemp, deputy chair of the LGA, said authorities were supportive of the new system but had reservations and were concerned about the financing of their role.

‘Some of these operations cost £1bn each. Whether it is a small council or a big council, we will still be quite hamstrung, unless we find additional sources to deal with it.'

In the same witness session, Sir Michael Pitt, chair of the Infrastructure Planning Commission, said the local authority role would be key so councils must have the professional and technical expertise to come to their own conclusions about what was in the interest of local communities.

‘They need to have the resources to do this effectively, which is a matter for the CLG and ministers to resolve,' he said.