The new English Devolution White Paper has a focused upon “deepening and widening devolution”. In its length and breadth it is a good example of “policy tapas”; presenting a diverse range of devolution initiatives and models but leaving the full menu of details and implementation plans to be filled in later. The White Paper introduces a range of proposals aimed at empowering local governance. Described as “cautiously radical”, headlines have focused on local government reorganisation and transport.
The paper rightly recognises that centralised decision-making for matters like cycle lanes or cattle grids is nonsensical. The White Paper also identifies several quieter but equally significant developments that merit attention:
- Innovation: one key area of focus is the ambition to strengthen local innovation ecosystems. The focus on innovation-led growth and clusters will be welcomed by many and could also provide the framework for Local Growth Plans.?The White Paper provides a welcome “push” towards a more significantly devolved research landscape. This is something that commentators have been arguing for a while (here) but is also contingent on sustained funding and local flexibility.
- Data: Another promising development is the establishment of several data-led ambitions within the paper (e.g. Mayoral Data Council). This makes a welcome return back to evidence-led decision making. This agenda has unusually suffered in recent years with the winding down or reductions to useful datasets and products which can inform public policy (and commercial) decision making. It was particularly welcome to see ONS Local receiving funding, which will further support innovative data decision making.
- Local skills: In the skills landscape, the introduction of joint ownership of Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) between strategic authorities and Employers’ Representative Bodies is part of the evolution that was identified as being needed (here). The existing model was popular but faced issues such as duplication and imperfect stakeholder management. A better resourced and more joined-up framework holds potential for better collaboration, efficient use of research resources and greater alignment with local priorities. A more coherent landscape could mean that several exciting skills propositions we have been involved with might have brighter or more secure futures. Watch this space!
- Capacity building: The paper also addresses capacity building, proposing several methods including a secondment scheme between central government and strategic authorities. This approach could “infuse” local governance with expertise from the civil service. Several local government organisations I know or have worked at have benefitted from secondment arrangements and this provides a beneficial model to expand.
- Evaluation: The mention of evaluation is encouraging. Recognising the complexity of evaluating public policy, the white paper highlights the value of theory-based and quasi-experimental approaches, areas where organisations like AMION have been breaking new ground (another watch this space!)
The English Devolution White Paper marks an important step in empowering local governance and advancing meaningful change. The details within it, the headlines (and worthwhile commentary such as this, here) along with the smaller points I have identified above, signal a commitment to a better-resourced devolution agenda. Does the English Devolution White Paper offer a full menu or just a taste of things to come?
