Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 32
32
Accepted
Paragraph: 109
Levelling Up is another short-term local growth initiative hindering sustained development.
Conclusion
The Government’s flagship Levelling Up policy is one in a long line of local growth initiatives. The National Audit Office reported that since 2010 there has been the repeated introduction of ‘new’ local growth policies. The stop-start character of local growth initiatives has arguably slowed or even in some case prevented the development and provision in local areas of infrastructure to support individuals and communities through long and sustained interventions. International comparisons have been drawn with the longevity of funding associated with Germany’s reunification project which spanned several years. This policy has been referred to by some as a model of best practice when comparing the benefits of longer-term, substantive, growth initiatives and funding. We also note that the levelling up missions, as set out in the White Paper, are intended to be achieved or to have seen some progress by 2030, which only allows for under 10 years for the policy’s aims to be achieved.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the historic stop-start approach to local growth and states that Levelling Up is a long-term programme, with the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill enabling missions to continue beyond 2030. It also refers to a recently published simplification plan to improve the current funding system.
Paragraph Reference:
109
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Levelling Up White Paper acknowledged the historic stop-start approach to addressing the UK’s geographic disparities which does not foster community-led regeneration. Previous local economic growth initiatives have lacked long-term thinking, included a huge array of different schemes and have not given local leaders the tools to design and deliver policies for their own places. They have also lacked an understanding on which policies work best in different places due to poor data collection. Levelling Up is a long-term programme with the mechanisms to address each of these failures. The Levelling Up missions, by setting 2030 as their goal, provide clarity about the policy objectives and anchor the policy change necessary to meet them. The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill enables missions to continue post 2030. DLUHC also recognises the challenges that the creation of multiple pots of local growth initiatives creates for local authorities. The recently published simplification plan sets out our ambition for increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the current funding system. This will be achieved by reducing administrative burdens through streamlining existing processes and simplifying funds into larger pots that local leaders can invest across local strategic priorities.