From Localism to Regionalism

Before we get carried away with debate about devolving more powers to the regions, how about taking stock of where we already are with localism?  Earlier this year, Selby & Ainsty with Elmet & Rothwell CPF responded to the CPF Questionnaire on Local Government.  I see that forthcoming Yorkshire & Humberside Regional Conference will be held Saturday 1st November 2014 and will include a Panel Discussion on Local Government.

As a starting point for this debate, it may be worthwhile to rehearse our Group thoughts?  When we were asked, "how can the Government further incentivise communities to take up the rights we have granted them," we concluded, rather bleakly:

None of our group claimed to be completely familiar with the extent of the "rights" on offer.  Neither were we sure how these rights might be taken up by "communities." Nevertheless, we were aware of, and considered important:

• The concept of general power of competence
•  A community right to bid for local assets of community value
•  A community right to challenge to provide better or more efficient services
• The influence of the neighbourhood on planning
•  The concept of "weight of community opinion" on planning processes.

We considered that our understanding and, presumably, the majority of the general public's, was incomplete because:

• Communication from central government was not as effective as it should be
•  There was a lack of expertise amongst lay people such that the full opportunity on offer could not be understood or grasped
•  Dissemination at community level was inconsistent and, in some cases, ineffective
• There was inertia and an aura of negative fatalism that stifled initiative
• There was not always "one button to press," ie some issues spanned competing Authority interests.

This strikes as a pretty sorry state of affairs and, although we were only discussing matters at a community level, it seems  a very shaky foundation from which to devolve further power to regions.  I wonder whether, as citizens, we are ready for more self-determination - if we do not know how, or choose not to exercise the power we already have, to check on our affairs at local level, what chance might we have of holding a regional authority to account?