For part of last week, I attended the LGA (Local Government Association) conference inBournemouth. The LGA has as members the vast majority of local councils. It combines borough, district, county and unitary local authorities to provide a strong national voice for the sector.
A key and understandable message came out of the conference. The government would give us more power but less money. It is an interesting combination meaning that we get more local choice in straightened times.
I have previously observed in this column that governments become more centralising over time, with this instinct and temptation growing if we give them a third or even fourth time. On that basis, councils should make the most of the current opportunity.
On some issues, I had thought that the government was really good at describing what it did not like but less good at describing what it did like. A prime example was around regional policy. The government did not like the unelected RDAs (regional development agencies) but was not offering much precision about what if anything should replace them.
I then revised this view realising that in fact local government and business were being empowered to propose local solutions. I had become so used to the previous government telling us in detail what to do on so many issues that I missed the shackles being removed. After so long in a form of imprisonment, I did not initially recognise the moment of our liberation for what it was.
This sensation particularly applies to regional policy. The RDAs were being afforded an absurd range of powers – economic, housing, planning, transport – for organisations with very limited democratic accountability. Now councils and business are being invited to propose the formation of LEPs (local enterprise partnerships) together with the strategy and vision for the areas that they cover. Key to this will be the development of policies to stimulate the sustainable economic growth upon which so much else depends.
I believe that there is a strong case for a LEP to cover the Gatwick Diamond economic sub-region but there will be other views to consider. The important point is that this time around, locally elected representatives get a real say on how these new structures are brought forward.
This is all good news forCrawley, the Gatwick Diamond and the south east region. The promotion of the south east is particularly important. Even if we inBritainare less likely to use the r-word (region) today, we are part of a Europe of the regions in competition with our part ofEngland. We need to remember this if we are to maintain and improve the economic position of the south east.
Councillor Bob Lanzer, Leader of Crawley Borough Council
14th July 2010