New Prime Minister, systemic change?

As the runners and riders are whittled down in the Conservative Party leadership race, which will ultimately decide the next Prime Minister, it is timely to look at what issues impacting on local government will be waiting in the in-tray for the successful candidate.

Most immediate will be stabilising inflation to a more sustainable level, in order to begin to address the escalating cost of living crisis facing the country. Whilst some candidates will play to the core electorate in this race, promising tax cuts and low spend, it is inconceivable that more money will not be found to support the growing number of people who will be living in fuel and food poverty through the coming winter. Local government is uniquely placed to ensure that any money spent is targeted in the right places, at the right time, to the correct people to avoid families making choices between heating or eating.

The continuation of post covid economic recovery by reshaping high streets and local places, in a fair and consistent manner across the country, will be equally important, if the public are to buy into the notion of levelling up happening in any meaningful way. Doing this whilst at the same time continuing to underfund local government frontline services may seem to be a bit of an oxymoron and if place-based neighbourhood services continue to deteriorate, then it may prove difficult to convince local communities that there was something in it for them.

Multiple longer term public policy crises like the lack of affordable housing, elderly care, embracing digitalisation and the drive to net zero require not only some serious thought, but action, to align what is an often-fragmented system of national, regional and local actors.

When the dust settles in September it will be time to put the problems of the last decade behind us and set out a credible plan as to how the country will move forward and make progress on the big issues of our time.

The new Prime Minister, whoever that may be, should think about a system reset away from a failed centralised approach and embrace one that utilises the ability and talent of local government to make action happen on the ground. They should revitalise council’s role, powers and resources by embracing a principle of ‘local by default’. A fair long-term funding settlement would be a good start but enshrining local government’s role constitutionally would be a better transformational approach.

With a maximum of two years to be seen to make progress before the next General Election time is of the essence. Ultimately, the true test of success will be with the wider electorate in parliamentary constituencies across the UK.