duncan maclennan university of st andrews [email protected]
TRANSCRIPT
CONTEXT, UKPressures to Rethink ‘Govt’ within ScotlandImmediacy of looming cuts (20pcent progress)Long Term unease re structures, metro, localQuestions of quality, capability remainFiscal issues of reliance on block grant, capital controls etc; CENTRALLY CONTROLLEDLOCALISM IN ENGLAND NOT THE TRIGGER BUT USEFUL MIRROR, HOW DO WE LOOK
CONTEXT, INTERNATIONALSustained processes of autonomy shift since 70’sMonetary, macro policies up to EU, NAFTA etcSubsidiarity, to Regions (economic Arguments)Metropolitan areas (integration key functions)Downwards to Neighbourhoods, place communities
KEY ISSUE IS THAT LOCAL SYSTEMS DO NOT MATCH MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES FOR MODERN PUBLIC MANAGEMENT; OPEN, ASSOICIATIONAL GOVERNANCE HAS TO MAKE UP FOR SLUGGISH
CHANGES IN MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES. NEED TO MATCH THE AUTONOMY OF TERRITORY WITH THE
REAL FUNCTIONAL NATURE OF ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
ENGLISH CHANGES, DIFFERENCESImportant similarities, butReaction against target led centralismAbolition of Audit CommissionAbolition of RDAs, Regional Spatial StrategiesReferenda for elected Mayors, 10 major citiesPlanning simplified, still major central powersHousing policy shift (unrelated to localism!), HCA CUTSEmphasis more on municipal than ‘big society’
A WORK IN PROGRESS, CONTRADICTORY, ALREADY INCONSISTENT (IN PLANNING). IS IT
DEVOLUTION OR DUMPING?
…..SCOTTISH DIFFERENCESScottish Scale is Different, Parliament a ‘more local central’Pushback on quangos, housing and economic development since 2000: restoring local???Avoided structural, metropolitan issuesNo promotion of larger city leadersCommunity planning, outcome agts, ConcordatScottish Government has upward political focusBUT SIMILAR CULTURES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT,
SIMILAR CENTRAL DOMINANCE OF LOCAL SPENDING AND REVENUES (LOCAL TAX FREEZE).
….AND IF ALL GOES WELL!LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE SETTLEMENT 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15Total Revenue Funding (£ million) (£ million) (£ million) (£ million) General Resource Grant 7,785 7,749 7,576 7,347Non Domestic Rates Income 2,182 2,263 2,435 2,664Specific Revenue Grants 589 589 589 589Other Local Government Support 306 315 325 343Total Revenue 10,862 10,916 10,925 10,943 Total Capital Funding General Capital Grant 521 437 400 587Specific Capital Grants 130 99 87 128Other capital support 41 33 30 45Total Capital 692 570 517 760 Total Support 11,553 11,485 11,442 11,702
THE CHALLENGESRegardless of Localism in England, or constitutional Change for Scotland we face the same challenge:How do we construct a system of government and governance in Scotland that Gives voice to the people, at different scales, regarding
Fiscal choices, of taxes and as well as services Facilitating fairness between places Encouraging creativity within bureaucracies Avoiding monopolies in production, ensures VFM
…IN A CONTEXT OFREDUCING FISCAL RESOURCES FOR PERHAPS A DECADE, NON-MARGINAL QUESTIONSMAINTAIN ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESSADDRESS POPULATION AGEING WITH RELATED HEALTH AND CARE COSTSACHIEVE DEMANDING CARBON REDUCTION PURSUE FAIRNESS WHILST SPENDING ON MIDDLE CLASS WELFAREWILL BETTER COMMUNITY PLANNING ACHIEVE
WHAT CHISTIE AND ARBITHNOTT REPORTS WERE SEEKING; THAT SEEMS UNLIKELY, SO
WHAT TO DO!
FUNCTIONAL FORMAL LOCALISMScottish scale: recursive local /national actions, serves national goals? Localism has to be real, functional.International Experiences Varied: LOCAL MEANSMore fragmented agencies, Deeper silo mentalitiesPervasive adversarial politicsAutocratic decision taking; Risks of corruptionFocus on projects, not strategiesImpatience with community concern
WE NEED TO ADDRESS GAPS BETWEEN POLITICALLY EMBRACED LOCALISM AND
EFFECTIVELY DESIGNED FUNCTIONAL LOCALISM
WHAT TO DO: PARLIAMENTAvoid Dumping, Smothers Localism (Canada)Greater Clarity about spatial redistributionFiscal Responsibility
End Tax Freeze Rethink Business Rate Revenue (growth)
Structures, too many, too small?Co-governance models (Auckland)
Assessing, improving performance
WHAT TO DO; LOCALBetter Metro Partnerships (GRDV)Managed decline in non-feasible placesImprove asset, land Management
Restructure , management of assets (Australia)User charging, infrastructure, gain use (AC)
Community PlanningCoherent outcome aims and maps, SG policies
as well as LADownward cascade: CBHAs, Community
Boards?
AND THE AMBITION….Local Government Minister Derek Mackay said: “The Scottish Government’s response to the Christie Commission included a commitment to review community planning. …..“Community planning stands or falls on whether it delivers better outcomes and it must keep up with the pace of financial pressures, changing demography and the growing social needs we face. Effective community planning needs greater integration of services, more focus on prevention and clearer accountability for partners’’ COSLA President Cllr Pat Watters said: “People want the very best results from their public services…. the Christie Commission showed that we need to invest in prevention across the whole of the public sector, and do more to ensure that services work together to focus on what matters most to communities…..and this Statement of Ambition is a major step forward in agreeing ways to ensure that community planning partnerships truly take centre stage in translating public services into better outcomes. Delivering that ambition will require commitment from across the public sector, but we must all rise to the challenge if we are to grasp this unprecedented opportunity to make a real difference to Scotland’s communities.”
