Localism; local government and community action – what is the future and who is writing the script? Robin Tuddenham

Calderdale

Local government’s role?

Challenges for Public Services Ageing population demographic pressures Safeguarding and increased cost and complexity re vulnerable children Academies (Rutland), Universal Credit and so on The ‘plughole effect’ for universal and the visible Empowered citizens, ‘the expectation and reality gap’

Less money

A challenge to traditional power?

Decentralisation of power Local autonomy – reduced regulation, opportunities to raise revenue, Local Government Finance Review ‘Ultra-localism’ – passing power/services/Assets to Neighbourhood and town/parish councils Community and pooled budgets – LIS pilot in North Halifax Local solutions – Incredible Edible! Local autonomy - local authorities will be more free from central government control, having a general power of competence, fewer restrictions on funding, less regulation and performance management from Whitehall, and new opportunities to raise revenue [NB not new] Ultra-localism – Government will explore the scope for a new relationship between local authorities and their communities by passing power down, so that neighbourhood councils (i.e. parish, town and community councils) can take greater control over local services. Neighbourhood councils – proposals to make it easier to establish neighbourhood forums and other groups like parish councils so that citizens are able to take advantage of the freedoms to run their own services. Community Budgets - every place will be able to use a Community Budget to pool funding at the local level so councils and their partners have the freedom to redesign services and pool funding to tackle complex social problems. [NB not new]

Committed leadership

A need for new ideas

An organisation that gets it

Co-authors of a new script

Possible Futures?

What this might mean? - Right to run, buy and build - Letting go - Doing some things well - Enabling potential and not being a block!

new forms of delivery

Resilient future? A resilient future?

The future is ours to make