Is this the terrain on which the Conservatives will challenge devolution — its implications for the size of the state, the cost of devolution and the prospect of higher local taxes?

jacktshaw.bsky.social@jacktshaw.bsky.social · 11h ago

For devolution to be credible, the Conservatives' Alex Burghart says that it must be underpinned by three guarantees: (a) a reduction in size of civil service; (b) whether it'll be driven by the public — citing LGR; and (c) whether strategic authorities can cut taxes.

For devolution to be credible, the Conservatives' Alex Burghart says that it must be underpinned by three guarantees: (a) a reduction in size of civil service; (b) whether it'll be driven by the public — citing LGR; and (c) whether strategic authorities can cut taxes.

From the Government's press release:

jacktshaw.bsky.social@jacktshaw.bsky.social · 17h ago

The three new cross-government taskforces give strategic and local authorities much to focus on. On high streets, yesterday I learned that since 2015, UK Government has only published one High Streets Strategy: in 2021, the post-COVID Build Back Better High Street Strategy.

The three new cross-government taskforces give strategic and local authorities much to focus on. On high streets, yesterday I learned that since 2015, UK Government has only published one High Streets Strategy: in 2021, the post-COVID Build Back Better High Street Strategy.

Under SEND reforms, the Government will cover 90 per cent of local authorities 'historic' SEND debt. But SEND home-to-school transport sits outside the Dedicated Schools Grant. Do we know whether the 90 per cent also covers current SEND transport costs?

Today's new Substack. Bins, bogs and burials: what's the future of local government? Local government will spend £151 billion this year on public services, but there is comparatively little interest in asking the question. Some reflections: jackshaw.substack.com/p/bins-bogs-...

Bins, bogs and burials: what’s the future of local government?

Curiously, there has been little interest in its future, despite authorities spending an anticipated £151 billion this financial year and delivering many of the services that we rely on every day.

jackshaw.substack.com

One recommendation Andy Westwood, Patrick Diamond and I made in evidence to the Economic Affairs Committee's inquiry into fiscal devolution was that the Government should invest in the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Accountability will be a key theme as devolution proceeds.

NEW SUBSTACK This week, we’ve got something more lighthearted, a quiz — which isn’t really a quiz — to test how obsessed you are with local government. substack.com/home/post/p-...

Quiz: How obsessed are you with local government?

There’s 13 statements; how many apply to you?

substack.com

Our research with Re:State last month similarly recommended a route between the Civil Service Fast Stream and strategic authorities, alongside more investment via the Mayoral Capacity Fund:

jacktshaw.bsky.social@jacktshaw.bsky.social · 2w ago

Following the meeting at No10 North today, the Government announces a new package to support strategic authorities build capacity and capability:

Following the meeting at No10 North today, the Government announces a new package to support strategic authorities build capacity and capability:

Following the Fair Funding Review, the Government gave six authorities — including Wandsworth and Westminster — permission to raise council tax by more than 5 per cent. Wandsworth has mooted a 160 per cent increase; Westminster, 200 per cent. That's not sustainable.

Perhaps the most egregious example of the consequences of the rise of No Overall Control. Is there precedent of a local authority referring itself to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government because it is unable to form an administration? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Leaderless Oldham Council faces government takeover

The Greater Manchester authority has been in no overall control since the local elections in May.

bbc.co.uk

My Notes on Local Government Substack has a quiz out on Monday: "How obsessed are you with local government?" Here's one of the statements — the more you know, the more you're obsessed. Subscribe to the Substack if you want it to land in your inbox. Link in comments.

My Notes on Local Government Substack has a quiz out on Monday: "How obsessed are you with local government?" Here's one of the statements — the more you know, the more you're obsessed. Subscribe to the Substack if you want it to land in your inbox. Link in comments.

55 per cent of Londoners think London has become a worse place to live than a decade ago, according to new polling from YouGov:

The mood among Londoners is quite bleak, according to YouGov:

As local authorities begin budget-setting, Wandsworth is considering an eye-watering increase in council tax:

NEW SUBSTACK: The Government’s Rewiring the State is a serious statement of intent. I examine — briefly — five questions that it raises, from the future of PuFins and ALBs to the role of local authorities: substack.com/home/post/p-...

Five questions the Government’s Rewiring the State plans raise about the future of devolution

Devolution is moving into a new phase — but its institutional, practical and political implications are only beginning to emerge.

substack.com

From @jacktshaw.bsky.social The Geographical spread of bankruptcy in English local gov. And an amazing one about Labour MPs versus mayoralties

NEW SUBSTACK: The Government’s Rewiring the State is a serious statement of intent. I examine — briefly — five questions that it raises, from the future of PuFins and ALBs to the role of local authorities: substack.com/home/post/p-...

Five questions the Government’s Rewiring the State plans raise about the future of devolution

Devolution is moving into a new phase — but its institutional, practical and political implications are only beginning to emerge.

substack.com

There was a lot of boosterism around AI Growth Zones, but have they been stood up? As far as I can tell, they don’t have any tools or powers attached to them and haven’t materialised.

Not making the case for this. What I do think is high streets are dominated by too much retail and they need restructuring - with services and experiences alongside retail. That means less charity shops too. Policymakers have avoided it by and large, thus far.

Barry Lyndon LaRouche@colfer.bsky.social · 3w ago

The idea that if you restrict charity shops, they'll be replaced with department stores is fantasy economics. Department stores aren't coming back. It's more likely they'll be replaced with empty units, poor quality and/or illegal residential conversion, or, well, more vape shops

I suggested today that an overconcentration of charity shops can also be seen as a blight on the high street — driven, at least in part, by the significant Business Rates Relief they receive. More in Common polling suggests the public have an appetite for fewer of them:

The Government is right that intervention is needed to rebuild our high streets — and we’re doing some thinking about what that might look like. The proliferation of barber shops alone is enough to radicalise me though. What on earth is going on there?

I've written for the Bennett School this morning. If the Prime Minister’s devolution agenda is to succeed, England needs stronger regional and pan-regional institutions to drive growth and investment across boundaries. www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/blog/the-gov...

The government needs to invest in mayoral collaboration - Bennett School of Public Policy

The new Prime Minister is expected to turbocharge devolution.  But to fulfil its promise, strategic authorities — led by mayors across England — must operate at scale. In this blog, Jack Shaw argues t...

bennettschool.cam.ac.uk

According to Ipsos polling, the public expects greater tax autonomy to result in higher taxes, but also believes — marginally — that the revenue would be spent more effectively and deliver better outcomes.

Superstitions held by Chinese mayors can affect public investment decisions and China's GDP, according to new research by Justin Hong and Yuheng Zhao:

ICYMI: I looked at England's overlapping boundaries and why the Government needs to tackle the Incoherent State. In Arguably:

NEW SUBSTACK: The Prime Minister's “circuit breaker” for Britain promises to “put life’s essentials back under public control”. That conversation has centred on utilities: water and energy. But it shouldn’t stop there. I make the case for a new model for homelessness: substack.com/home/post/p-...

Beyond utilities: should public ownership extend to public services?

Andy Burnham’s “circuit breaker” for Britain promises to “put life’s essentials back under public control”. That conversation has centred on utilities: water, energy. But it shouldn’t stop there.

substack.com

What do Andy Burnham and Michael Heseltine have in common? Both have long wanted to bring order to England’s messy geography of public services. Pleased to write for Arguably on why the Burnham administration needs to tackle the Incoherent State. www.arguably.uk/p/the-incohe...

The Incoherent State is holding England back

For devolution to succeed, Burnham needs to end the dizzying array of boundaries

arguably.uk