The UK is comically overcentralized, I hope they don’t fuck this up
this looks good:
>Mayors free to set the priorities for funding that suit their areas the best through Integrated Settlements for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities, meaning that for the first time Mayors are not bound by strict Westminster rules over how to spend money locally.
ldn6 on
Executive summary from the Government’s official policy paper on its plans for local government reform and simplification:
>Our goal is simple. Universal coverage in England of Strategic Authorities – which should be a number of councils working together, covering areas that people recognise and work in. Many places already have Combined Authorities that serve this role. The government will continue to develop new Strategic Authorities collaboratively and in partnership with places. However, in order to ensure that citizens across England benefit from devolution, and to ensure the effective running of public services, we will legislate for a ministerial directive. This will allow the creation of those Strategic Authorities where local leaders have, after due time has been allowed, not been able to make progress. This, combined with our plans to support local government reorganisation, will help align public service boundaries with Strategic Authorities and will ultimately lead to fewer politicians and a more efficient state.
>Devolution policy is currently ad hoc and inconsistent. It is unclear to places what they can access, when they can access it, and under what conditions. The government will put a framework into legislation setting out the powers that go with each type of authority. The framework is a floor on our ambition, not a ceiling. Over time, we expect it to be added to and enhanced. The framework will be clear and easy to follow, and will enable Mayors to drive growth and the public to hold them to account. The most far-reaching and flexible powers will be for Mayoral Strategic Authorities.
>Mayors can find it impossible to do the basics, like pass the budget or implement an effective transport strategy, because unanimity amongst constituent councils is sometimes needed. Deploying a veto can be a political device and not in the best interests of getting houses built or growing the local economy. So, we will move Mayoral Strategic Authorities to simple majority voting, including the Mayor’s vote, wherever possible.
>Mayors across England in receipt of government funding already have plans to deliver for their place. But that government funding comes with conditions, reporting requirements, forms to fill in and boxes to tick. Mayors have to slalom between pots of money to deliver the answer they already know is right. The Integrated Settlement will change that – starting with Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North East, South Yorkshire, West Midlands and West Yorkshire Combined Authorities receiving a consolidated budget across housing, regeneration, local growth, local transport, skills, retrofit, and employment support.
>This will enable Strategic Authorities to move funding between policy areas. It will lead to better value for money and outcomes for citizens, because in practice these programmes should not operate in departmental silos. New housing developments often depend on transport links and supporting people back into work often requires helping them to upskill.
>Integrated Settlements will reform the way Strategic Authorities account to government for the funding they get. It will move away from the current complex and fragmented departmental monitoring and reporting requirements to a single, mutually agreed outcomes framework, monitored over a Spending Review period.
>Since devolution in 1999, London is widely seen to have one of the best integrated transport systems in the world. Huge progress is being made across mayoral areas, not least in the introduction of the Bee Network in Greater Manchester, and Mayors in West Yorkshire and Liverpool City Region taking back control of their buses. But the government will be more ambitious still in three ways:
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The UK is comically overcentralized, I hope they don’t fuck this up
this looks good:
>Mayors free to set the priorities for funding that suit their areas the best through Integrated Settlements for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities, meaning that for the first time Mayors are not bound by strict Westminster rules over how to spend money locally.
Executive summary from the Government’s official policy paper on its plans for local government reform and simplification:
>Our goal is simple. Universal coverage in England of Strategic Authorities – which should be a number of councils working together, covering areas that people recognise and work in. Many places already have Combined Authorities that serve this role. The government will continue to develop new Strategic Authorities collaboratively and in partnership with places. However, in order to ensure that citizens across England benefit from devolution, and to ensure the effective running of public services, we will legislate for a ministerial directive. This will allow the creation of those Strategic Authorities where local leaders have, after due time has been allowed, not been able to make progress. This, combined with our plans to support local government reorganisation, will help align public service boundaries with Strategic Authorities and will ultimately lead to fewer politicians and a more efficient state.
>Devolution policy is currently ad hoc and inconsistent. It is unclear to places what they can access, when they can access it, and under what conditions. The government will put a framework into legislation setting out the powers that go with each type of authority. The framework is a floor on our ambition, not a ceiling. Over time, we expect it to be added to and enhanced. The framework will be clear and easy to follow, and will enable Mayors to drive growth and the public to hold them to account. The most far-reaching and flexible powers will be for Mayoral Strategic Authorities.
>Mayors can find it impossible to do the basics, like pass the budget or implement an effective transport strategy, because unanimity amongst constituent councils is sometimes needed. Deploying a veto can be a political device and not in the best interests of getting houses built or growing the local economy. So, we will move Mayoral Strategic Authorities to simple majority voting, including the Mayor’s vote, wherever possible.
>Mayors across England in receipt of government funding already have plans to deliver for their place. But that government funding comes with conditions, reporting requirements, forms to fill in and boxes to tick. Mayors have to slalom between pots of money to deliver the answer they already know is right. The Integrated Settlement will change that – starting with Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North East, South Yorkshire, West Midlands and West Yorkshire Combined Authorities receiving a consolidated budget across housing, regeneration, local growth, local transport, skills, retrofit, and employment support.
>This will enable Strategic Authorities to move funding between policy areas. It will lead to better value for money and outcomes for citizens, because in practice these programmes should not operate in departmental silos. New housing developments often depend on transport links and supporting people back into work often requires helping them to upskill.
>Integrated Settlements will reform the way Strategic Authorities account to government for the funding they get. It will move away from the current complex and fragmented departmental monitoring and reporting requirements to a single, mutually agreed outcomes framework, monitored over a Spending Review period.
>Since devolution in 1999, London is widely seen to have one of the best integrated transport systems in the world. Huge progress is being made across mayoral areas, not least in the introduction of the Bee Network in Greater Manchester, and Mayors in West Yorkshire and Liverpool City Region taking back control of their buses. But the government will be more ambitious still in three ways:
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https://preview.redd.it/6a7josp7z97e1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b9fed8a9219148c01d5622588a573f649a646262
!ping UK