Policy Briefing: Localism

							         Policy Briefing: Localism update


What is localism?
Localism describes a range of political philosophies which prioritise the local. It implies
less central government control and greater local control. A closely linked word to
localism is ‘decentralisation’ which describes the process of transition from central
control to local control.

Who’s leading on it?
The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is leading on localism
under the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Decentralisation Minister Greg
Clark.

The Decentralisation and Localism Bill was presented to Parliament in December 2010.
The proposals in the Bill are wide-ranging and include:

    Introduction of a ‘Community Right to Buy’ and ‘Community Right to Challenge’
     (see below)
    The right for citizens to hold a referendum on any local issue.
    The introduction of a ‘general power of competence’ for local authorities –
     allowing councils to do anything that is not specifically forbidden by law.
    Changes to local authority governance and the provision for directly elected
     mayors in 12 English cities from May 2012 – including in Nottingham.
    Proposals to give local people the right to produce their own neighbourhood
     plans to shape the development that happens in their area.
    A community right to build – where local people will be able to approve local
     development without the need for planning permission.

What is happening now?
The government has recently been currently consulting on two key elements of the Bill:

     Community Right to Buy
     The Bill includes proposals to introduce a ‘Community Right to Buy’ which is
     intended to give communities a chance to save local assets (e.g.; facilities,
     buildings or land) which are threatened with closure.

     There are two elements to the proposals. Firstly, community groups and local
     individuals will have the right to nominate local assets which they think have
     ‘community value’, such as a local community centre, library or village shop. If the
     local authority agrees, and there are no substantial objections from the owner,
     these assets will be listed on a register of local public and private assets.

     Secondly, if at some point in the future these assets come up for sale, community
     groups will be given extra time to prepare a bid to take them over. Once this
     period expires, the owner will be free to sell to any bidder on the open market at
     full price - there will be no obligation to sell to the community group.
     Community Right to Challenge
     The Bill also includes proposals to introduce a ‘Community Right to Challenge’.
     This aims to give voluntary and community groups, parish councils and local
     authority employees the right to express an interest in taking over the running of a
     local public service, and requires the local authority to consider this challenge.

     If the local authority accepts the challenge it would not give the group that
     submitted the expression of interest the right to deliver the service. Instead, it
     would trigger a procurement exercise that would be open to other organisations so
     there is no guarantee that the group that initiates the challenge will become the
     eventual provider of the service.

What do these proposals mean for local communities and local groups?
These proposals appear to offer greater power for local communities and groups to
have an influence in their local area, although it will be a while before we know the full
extent of these powers or when they will take effect.

Some voluntary sector organisations have raised concerns including that:
   There is no proposal to give community groups first refusal on an asset, in order
     to protect its ‘community value’.
   The period given for a community group to put together a bid under the
     Community Right to Buy is short (three to six months) given the amount of
     money that would need to be found in order to successfully raise the market
     value.
   The Community Right to Challenge may open up public services to take over by
     the private sector. Although the challenge itself cannot be initiated by a private
     sector organisation, the procurement exercise that would be triggered by a
     successful challenge would risk a large private sector organisation coming in as
     the successful bidder.

What can the local voluntary and community sector do?
Get ready for change. It’s too early to say exactly what these localism policies will lead
to in reality but the sector should keep an eye on progress through Parliament. NAVCA
have launched a campaign called Real Power for Communities. The aim is to ensure
that the Bill gives community groups and local charities real powers and that it isn’t
weakened as it passes through Parliament: www.rp4c.org.uk

Get involved in delivering local public services. Localism implies a greater role in public
service delivery for local communities and VCS groups. Arguably all VCS groups
deliver services that benefit the public, but there may be new opportunities to get paid
for it.

Build your links with the local public sector. Local public bodies are likely to be looking
increasingly to their local communities and their local VCS to co-produce the design
and delivery of services.

                                                                    Updated April 2011
                                      Melanie Jeffs, NCVS Policy and Campaigns Officer
                                        0115 934 8416 / melaniej@nottinghamcvs.co.uk