Leader of the Conservative Group, Cllr Kevin Bentley, argues that local government has demonstrated its capability to deliver essential services and tackle crises effectively. He advocates for increased powers and fiscal devolution to local councils, highlighting the need for localised planning fees and sustained funding for social housing and infrastructure.
With a focus on enabling councils to expedite housing development and maintain roads, Bentley outlines the LGA Conservative Group’s manifesto for the next government, emphasising the importance of a new relationship between central and local government.
Councillor Kevin Bentley
Leader of the Conservative Group, Local Government AssociationWithout a doubt, local government has been punching above its weight over the course of the last parliament. During the Coronavirus pandemic, it was councils that managed to process billions of pounds worth of grants to keep businesses afloat. Following the Kremlin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, councils stood up to the task of finding accommodation for Ukrainian refugees. And of course, despite the politics in Westminster, it is still councils who get on with the day-to-day job of collecting waste, dealing with planning applications, and providing care to some of the most vulnerable residents in our society.
The Case for Enhanced Local Authority Powers
What we in local government have demonstrated is that councils can deliver for Britain. Simply, if we had more powers and real fiscal devolution awarded to us by Government, councils could deliver more and better. It is why the LGA Conservative Group launched its manifesto of ideas at Conservative Party conference in October to provide the next Conservative Government.
The country is facing an existential crisis with housing, with housing supply not meeting the demands of an ever-increasing population. The Prime Minister is right in his manifesto to do away with bureaucratic European legislation, otherwise knows as ‘nutrient neutrality’ rules, which are currently holding back the construction of 100,000 new homes. But we can go further.
The Coronavirus pandemic and increased competition with the private sector has resulted in numerous complexities for Planning Departments in Town Halls up and down the country. Most notably, in the retention and recruitment of skilled planning officers. This in turn has led to delays in the turning around planning applications.
To solve this, and to give councils more powers to turn around planning applications quicker, the next Conservative Government should commit to allowing councils to set their own planning fees internally, without government interference. Setting planning fees at a local level, taking into account local demand and pressures, would support councils being able to turn around planning applications quicker. In turn, supporting the next Governments ambitions to increase home ownership amongst our younger generations.
Addressing Housing and Infrastructure Challenges
I also want to use this piece to give a shoutout to social housing. Social housing can be a great opportunity to support people who are transitioning onto the property ladder. As part of the Right to Buy scheme, a piece of legislation introduced by Margaret Thatcher in 1980, councils retain a receipt from the sale of a social home. The idea being that the said receipt would be invested in new social housing.
For the last two financial years, the Treasury has allowed councils to retain 100% of the receipt they receive, in turn giving councils the ability to build the next generation of social housing. Anecdotally, Conservative Council Leaders have stated that the temporary 100% right to buy retention has led to the construction of more social housing. We believe that the next Conservative Government should unequivocally commit to retaining the 100% retention of right to buy receipts, giving councils a powerful arm to building the next generation of social housing.
On a completely different subject, one of the sole topics of conversation during the recent local election campaign is the state of roads in Britain. We have seen Labour commit to £360 million of pothole funding. To be clear, this funding isn’t anything near what is needed to meet their promise to fill in one million potholes. It has been Conservatives in Government that have committed the most highways funding. Specifically, £8.3 billion between now and 2034.
What local government does need with respect to highways funding is multi year financial settlements. What councils need is financial certainty to give them the confidence necessary to better plan ahead, in this case, with road re-surfacing programmes. It is why the LGA Conservative Group has committed in its manifesto for the next Government to commit to multi year financial settlements in areas including highways, adult social care, and children’s services.
With the Kings Speech just several weeks away, it gives the next Government, regardless of political colour, to re set a new relationship with local government. Providing councils with real fiscal devolution and powers to deliver more and better can be at the heart of the next Governments Kings Speech.
For more insight on Chamber UK’s analysis of housing policy click here.