Carr, Howell, Rustecki, Cheetham: Enhancing local democracy

Enhancing Local Democracy 17 January 2012 Richard Carr, Steven Howell, Dominic Rustecki Councillor Tim Cheetham (LGA) 1

About Localis• Independent think tank• New solutions to achieve a significant devolution of power to local government and local areas• Innovative and evidence based research targeted at the policy community, local authorities, and wider public sphere 2

Welcome to Councillor Tim Cheetham• Cabinet Member for Development, Environment and Culture (Strategy, Programmes and Projects) – Barnsley Council• Member – LGA Improvement Board 3

Local Government in England – current context• 2010 General Election (and therefore move from Labour to Conservative/Liberal Democrat ethos)• Impact of present financial difficulties• Getting more for less – Open Public Services White Paper (greater choice for taxpayers, diversification of service provision), strategic commissioning• Wellbeing Powers  General Power of Competence 4

Increasing power at the local level• Devolving financial autonomy to local authorities – Business rates retention, Tax Increment Financing, Enterprise Zones, New Homes Bonus. Return to the bond market?• Local Enterprise Partnerships and bottom up led growth 5

Increasing power at the local level• Stronger sector reputation• Putting forward ideas, showing some initiative, getting Central Government to listen 6

Increasing power at the local level• Community budget pilots/non-silo’ed investment in targeted areas – Essex – London Tri-borough (Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham) – Cheshire West & Chester – Greater Manchester (ten councils – cross party) 7

Increasing power at the local level• ‘Power to the people’ – planning proposals – Councils as honest brokers – Encourages trust from local people – Organic growth• Community Infrastructure Levy 8

Increasing power at the local level• Devolving power to the lowest possible level• Rise of the Parish Council?• Urban Parish Councils? 9

Increasing power at the local level• Lambeth co-operative• Barnet, Surrey and Westminster’s Big Societies 10

New ways to participate in decision making at a local level• ePetitions• Webcasting meetings• Consulting using social media• Local referenda? 11

New ways to participate in decision making at a local level• Mapping and reporting – FixMyStreet – FixMyTransport – Love Lewisham / Westminster’s QR Codes (Nudge Theory) – Boston ‘Street Bump’ App 12

Decreasing bureaucracy and static structures on local level• Future local government structures?• Community Right to Challenge authorities on service provision• Shared services, management and no chief executive? 13

Decreasing bureaucracy and static structures on local level• Academies and free schools• Big society• Red tape challenge 14

Incentives for officials to renew theirthinking and open up more for new ideas• Appraising and pay bonuses to individuals and departments based on ability to innovate (Labour Party)• Employ senior figures from private and voluntary sector backgrounds in the civil service? 15

Incentives for officials to renew theirthinking and open up more for new ideas• Greater use of secondments between local government and central government?• Central and local government to commission outcomes from voluntary sector organisations and allow such organisations to develop the means of doing it? 16

Improving the sense of community in today’s society• Big Society (and Blue Labour response)• Capacity building in the voluntary sector – Government fund (£500m)• Neighbourhood planning 17

Making Government more transparent• Open data • Government business plans • Government contracts (Open Public Services White Paper stresses ‘accountability’) • Who ministers are meeting (and influence of external websites, Who’s Lobbying et al) • Spending data (all over £500 for local government) • Next steps? 18

Making Government more transparent• Localism Act – community right to buy and right to challenge; neighbourhood planning; elected mayors• Councils and residents to determine what is needed at a local level 19

And finally... Trust! 20

List of recent Localis works• ‘Power to the People’ report• ‘Commission Impossible’ report• ‘Big Society’ pamphlet series• ‘Enabling Communities’ policy platform• Infrastructure (coming soon) www.localis.org.uk 21

Carr, Howell, Rustecki, Cheetham: Enhancing local democracy

by Sitran Elinvoima-foorumi on Jan 30, 2012

Accessibility

Categories

Upload Details

Usage Rights

Statistics

Carr, Howell, Rustecki, Cheetham: Enhancing local democracy — Presentation Transcript