Ministers have been urged to avoid rushing through ‘ill-thought-out structural change’ in light of the recent spate of devolution pledges extended to Scotland.
Following Scotland’s decision to stay in the Union, SNP leader Alex Salmond urged Westminster to honour promises made during the campaign surrounding increased powers for local regions. Prime minister David Cameron has this morning also vowed to deliver greater devolution in England’s cities.
Influential research body the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) said efforts should now be focussed on increasing tax raising powers for English and Welsh town halls.
LGiU chief executive, Jonathan Carr-West, called for a structured devolution that ‘will give people a real sense of control over the places they live in and the services they use’.
‘Scotland’s decision to stay in the Union and the additional devolution it has been promised will see a renewed focus on local governance in the rest of the UK. People will ask themselves why it is appropriate for Edinburgh to have greater control over taxation and spending in Scotland and not for English cities and regions to have the same,’ he said.
‘That is a reasonable question. It is important, however, that our response is not to rush to ill-thought-out structural change.
‘We need to give real power to local institutions and to local communities. To make people feel that they have real and direct influence over the places they live in and the services they use.
‘That means an urgent debate about increased tax-raising powers for English and Welsh councils. Varying business rates, local tourism taxes, environmental taxes and variation to the top and bottom rate of income tax all need to be on the table.
‘We need to look at combined budgets for all public spending in an area, including health, and making sure that budget is managed by democratically elected local representatives.’
