Local government must have central role on future of EU laws: LGA

Local government should be handed a central role in deciding whether to keep, amend or scrap EU laws once they are converted into domestic law, the Local Government Association has said in a 10-point plan to which it wants political parties to commit.

“Brexit should not simply mean a transfer of powers from Brussels to Westminster, Holyrood, Stormont and Cardiff Bay,” the LGA said.

The Association also wants parties to commit to working with local government to develop a fully-funded and locally-driven successor scheme for EU funding which gives local areas full control over spending. “Local areas in England have been allocated £5.3bn in EU regeneration funding by 2020 to create jobs, support small and medium-sized enterprises, deliver skills, and boost local growth across the country.”

Writing to all political party leaders with a list of key pledges it wants to see in their manifestos ahead of the general election on June 8, the LGA also called for commitments that would:

• Ensure councils have the funding they need to provide the vital services that communities rely on, such as collecting bins, filling potholes, maintaining our parks and green spaces, caring for the elderly and protecting children. Local government currently faces an estimated overall funding gap of £5.8bn by 2019/20, the LGA said.
• Continue with reforms to allow local government to keep more of its business rates income, which balances rewarding councils for growing their local economies but avoids areas less able to generate business rates income suffering as a result.
• See new devolution deals agreed across all parts of England and the UK, including in rural and non-metropolitan areas. “Taking decisions over how to run local services closer to where people live is key to improving them and saving money.”
• Close the £2.3bn funding gap facing social care services by 2020 and see a formal review, of which local government leaders play a fundamental part, carried out to help secure a long-term sustainable solution to protect vital support services that care for elderly and disabled people.
• Allow councils to resume their historic role as a major builder of affordable homes. “They need to be able to borrow to invest in housing and to keep 100% of the receipts from any homes they sell to replace them and reinvest in building new homes and infrastructure.”
• Give councils the resources they need to keep children and young people safe in the future. “Children’s services in England will be facing a £2bn funding gap by 2020.”
• Ensure councils have a role in determining where new schools are created and a say on the type of school introduced to their area. “Councils want to ensure every child has a school place available to them. With 91% of maintained schools rated as either outstanding or good by Ofsted, councils must be seen as education improvement partners.”
• Devolve funding and responsibility for the £10.5bn a year national employment and skills system to local areas. “This would allow councils to build on their track record of helping more people into work and plugging growing funding gaps.”

LGA chairman Lord Porter said: “Councils have a key role to play in helping to generate economic growth, build homes, strengthen communities, and protect vulnerable people in all parts of the country. It is vital for the next government to recognise the need to empower councils to deliver for their residents and the country.

“The need for financial sustainability for local government is urgent. Councils need fairer funding to continue to provide the full range of services that support their local communities, alongside a fairer funding system for all schools.”

Lord Porter added: “To build new homes, create jobs, provide the dignified care for our elderly and boost economic growth, all councils also need greater freedom from central government to take decisions over vital services in their area.

“Local government’s offer to all political parties is clear – commit to these key policy pledges and we will deliver.”

The LGA’s briefing on the policy priorities councils want adopted by each of the political parties in their manifestos can be found here.