Welcome to the April 2022 edition of the LGA’s Devolution Improvement and Support Bulletin.
Stories
Cornwall Council applies for top level of devolution
Launch of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund
Government announces plans for Local Enterprise Partnerships
Publications
Will the levelling up missions help reduce regional inequality?
This paper from the Institute for Government analyses the 12 missions set out in the Levelling Up White Paper. It finds that only four of the 12 missions are clear, ambitious and have appropriate metrics. If the Government wants to reduce regional inequality, this paper argues that the other eight missions need to be recalibrated.
Democracy Made in England: Where Next for English Local Government?
The Democracy Made in England report from the Electoral Reform Society calls for the establishment of a devolution framework, reform of elections in English local government, and improved centre-local relations. It argues that delivering these will require both leadership from the top and genuine, empowered, bottom up engagement from local representatives and communities.
Will ‘Levelling Up’ genuinely reach out to rural areas?
In Parliament
South West of England: Levelling up debate
The Lord Bishop of Exeter moved a debate on levelling up in South West England. He highlighted the need for the levelling up debate to focus on interregional and intraregional inequities, rather than the north/south divide, and argued the South West region “merits greater investment than the Government’s levelling-up strategy currently offers”.
In responding Lord Greenhalgh emphasised the important role of future devolution deals in the South West. He stressed the Government’s commitment to investing in the region, such as through the £131 million from the first round of the Levelling Up Fund and £198 million from the Towns Fund.
Urban Transport: Future Funding debate
In a debate on the future funding of urban transport, Clive Betts MP argued that the accessibility of public transport is a levelling up issue, and that Government needs to move away from a fragmented funding approach. Instead he called for “a more sustainable and joined-up approach to long-term funding” with mayors given the ability to join up their approaches to transport, home building and skills delivery.
Responding to the debate, Trudy Harrison MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport said that the Government has set out a wide range of commitments across all modes of transport during this Parliament. She highlighted that the Levelling Up Fund will invest in local transport infrastructure projects.
Local Government Association Annual Conference
The biggest conference in the UK local government calendar will be taking place in Harrogate on 28-30 June 2022. There will be opportunities for delegates to participate in wide-ranging programme focusing on the issues that matter most to our local communities. With a vibrant mix of large plenary sessions, parallel plenary sessions, workshops and fringe events, this is a must-attend event for senior representatives working in local and central government as well as senior staff from charities and businesses. Book your place on the LGA website now!
Devolution and levelling up with Jamie Driscoll, Mayor of the North of Tyne
Sharing ideas
Levelling Up Local Inquiry: Funding and alignment roundtable
Briefing for CEOs, Directors and Heads of Service: Securing the future of public sport and leisure services
Shopping for health: putting health assets into the heart of local communities
Share your ideas
Is your council leading the way on explaining devolution to residents? Or maybe you’re using your combined authority’s powers in new and innovative ways? If you’ve got best practice to share, please get in touch and you could see your council feature in the next edition of this devolution bulletin!
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