English Devolution White Paper: CCN responds

Today the government has released its English Devolution White Paper, which contains proposals on devolution, local government re-organisation, and an aspiration to bring back strategic planning powers.

Below, the County Councils Network responds to the publication of the white paper.

Cllr Tim Oliver, Chairman of the County Councils Network said:

“Today’s English Devolution White Paper provides a clear direction of travel on the future of local government in England. Building on positive progress on devolution to counties in recent years, it sets out a more ambitious framework of devolved powers and funding alongside an unambiguous desire for mayoral strategic authorities and local government reorganisation.

“Over recent years a number of areas have successfully reorganised to create unitary authorities, while the creation of Combined County Authorities (CCAs) has provided a more suitable governance model for devolution in rural areas. The government has rightly committed to maintain the CCA model and non-mayoral devolution options.

“However, given the government’s clear policy direction, most County Councils Network (CCN) members now recognise the need to embrace the benefits of mayoral devolution. Faced with these opportunities and with significant financial challenges, it is also clear that in many county areas local government reorganisation is necessary to unlock the barriers to more ambitious devolution settlements whilst creating simpler council structures that are more financially sustainable and recognisable to the public.

“We welcome the white paper outlining that new unitary councils should have a population of 500,000 or more. We look forward to further details on the criteria and process for reorganisation, but with council finances under severe strain it is imperative that reform ensures that new unitary councils have the size and scale necessary to deliver substantial long-term savings, minimise disruption to care services and maintain strong tax bases well into the future. Any decisions on local government reorganisation by ministers must be evidence-based and ensure that county councils are not split into multiple small unitary councils that cannot fulfil the ambitions of this white paper.

“Moreover, while our member councils recognise the opportunities presented by the creation of new strategic authorities and more powers for mayors, the role of local authorities should be enhanced not diminished; with a clear separation between mayors in spearheading an area’s strategic growth and constituent councils in delivering day-to-day essential local services such as social care.

“Moving forward, the government are clearly determined to move at pace to deliver on proposals with those areas with the most advanced propositions for devolution and local government reorganisation. The CCN is committed to working closely with ministers and sector stakeholders to support local areas.”

As mentioned above, the government is also seeking to re-introduce strategic planning back into the planning system for the first time in over a decade. This is significant and is something that the County Councils Network has called for, for a number of years.

All areas will be required to develop these Spatial Development Strategies.

Below, the CCN responds to those proposals.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Housing and Planning Spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said:

“Today’s announcement of the return of strategic planning is the culmination of many years of CCN advocacy and could represent a seismic shift in planning across England. We have long argued for a formal and enhanced role for county councils in the system, where both housing and infrastructure is more effectively joined up.

“With the government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) setting our a clear aspiration for more houses – targeted largely in county areas – strategic planning will be vital in helping to ensure that those homes are delivered in the most suitable locations where there is the greatest chance they will built.

“It will also help to plan for the vital infrastructure needed to make these new developments liveable and sustainable. But we must remember strategic planning is not a panacea to deliver more infrastructure and whilst it provides the tools, government must still set out ways to effectively fund the roads, schools and GP surgeries needed for all these new homes. We look forward to working with ministers to shape proposals, but it is vital strategic planning is re-introduced as soon as possible, and areas given adequate resources to ensure its implementation.

“We want to work with government to shape proposals whereby mayors can ‘call in’ specific planning proposals. We need to ensure this new power adequately strikes the balance between mayors’ strategic responsibilities and the local voice in the planning system.”