Monitoring Under Localism Andrew Pritchard Director of Strategy

Introduction East Midlands Councils Monitoring So Far Localism & Monitoring Some Choices Conclusions

East Midlands Councils Represents the interests of local councils to Government and national organisations Enables local councils to work together on key issues of common concern Supports local councils with employment, development advice & services

EMC: Some Current Initiatives Low Cost CPD for local authority planners in the East Midlands Planning for Localism Seminar CLG Select Committee Evidence Renewable Energy Opportunities & Heat Mapping (DECC funded)

EMC: Potential Future Initiatives Interim management and technical skills ‘brokerage’ for local planning authorities Joint procurement of research and information for Councils Supporting change management & joint service provision between Councils Supporting emerging LEPs

EMC: Review Review of functions and funding of EMC to be completed by December 2010 Likely that EMC will continue, but in a different form More focused on supporting Councils through collective action and the provision of (traded) services Likely to be reviewed on an annual basis

Monitoring So Far 8 RPG/RSS Annual Monitoring Reports Common definitions Master Databases CDP Smart CDP Vision £300,000 of investment …and 1 Archive DVD

(add front page from DVD)

Localism Governments vision is for a community based planning system underpinned by fiscal incentives RSSs, Regional Targets, National Indicators, and generous RSG settlements: OUT New Homes Bonus, Business Bonus, Renewable Energy Bonus and ‘Tax Increment Financing’: IN

Localism ‘Slimline’ National Planning Framework Co-ordinating role for LEPs (if they want it) – but no statutory strategic planning More detail in forthcoming Localism Bill and consultations on fiscal measures – but no ‘tell me how’ guidance for planners! Work it out for yourselves!

Localism & Monitoring The new ‘bonus culture’ will require very accurate records of what gets built where If you get the figures wrong, your Council could loose money (and jobs) – or be convicted of fraud! Monitoring land use change will thus be central to implementing the localism agenda – and to keeping Councils solvent! Expect some calls from your Chief Finance Officer!

Safeguarding the Investment A significant amount of capital (financial & intellectual) has been invested in developing current monitoring systems This will not be easy to find again in the future How can we adapt what we have to meet new challenges?

Some Choices Retain Smart & Vision? Retain just Smart and abandon Vision? Break up Vision into sub-regional chunks? Throw everything out and start again? What (if any) is the role of EMC? What level of service would Councils pay for?

Conclusions Localism represents the biggest shake up of the planning system for 40 years Monitoring will underpin the ‘bonus culture’ and become crucial to Council’s finances as the CSR kicks in We need to agree a way forward that works for Councils and makes best use of what we have