Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 5
5
Paragraph: 48
We approve of the principle of a devolution framework.
Recommendation
We approve of the principle of a devolution framework. It will provide clarity as to what is available for devolution. The Government should work with local government and other stakeholders to produce a devolution framework. To succeed, the framework must provide flexibility and be grounded in a comprehensive consultation with stakeholders to avoid being a top-down imposition from central onto local government. It should include a set of principles committing the Government to devolution as an evolving process with a forward direction. Devolution is not just about increasing the powers of combined authorities, but enhancing the powers of local government as a whole. A key principle should be that devolution is the default option unless Progress on devolution in England 63 there is a good and compelling reason why a policy area should not be devolved. The Government should consider following the model used for the devolved nations, where there is a list of reserved powers not available for devolution, with all other powers available for combined and local authorities. It should not be obligatory for any area to take on all of the available powers straightaway or at all. Furthermore, councils should also devolve to their local communities—devolution does not stop at the town hall door.
Paragraph Reference:
48
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The White Paper sets out, for the first time, a devolution framework for England. It provides a roadmap for places in England that wish to unlock the benefits of devolution, whether that is moving towards a London-style transport system to connect people to opportunity, improving local skills provision, or being able to act more flexibly and innovatively to respond to local need. The framework will help to drive progress towards our mission to achieve full devolution in England by 2030. There is no one size fits all approach to English devolution and areas will want to choose the right model for them. However, while the framework is flexible, it does place a strong emphasis on the importance of high profile, directly elected local leadership, strong local governance, and joint working across sensible and coherent economic geographies. The framework indicates where places with stronger governance models will be able to access more powers. The powers described in the framework are not a guaranteed, minimum offer. The framework is also designed to let areas deepen their devolution arrangements over time and at their own pace, recognising that, as institutions mature, they can gain greater responsibility. The reserved powers model has been shown to work effectively for the devolved administrations who have legislative competencies, but it is not applicable to bodies, such as mayoral combined authorities, which do not have legislative power. Government does not believe there is public support for regional assemblies with legislative power and the priority of devolution is to empower local leaders at subregional level to deliver the missions of levelling up for their residents. In order to deliver substantive and sustainable change, local places need the power to create and deliver solutions to local challenges. The Levelling Up White Paper sets out our plan to work with partners in local government and civil society on a programme to put in place a bold new approach to community empowerment. Government will launch a review of neighbourhood governance in England. This will take evidence and ideas on the neighbourhood governance needed to help community leadership to grow and thrive. Government will look at how to make it easier for local people and community groups to come together, set local priorities and shape the future of their neighbourhoods. The review will also look at the role and functions of parish councils in England and how to make them quicker and easier to establish.