Introduction to Localism

Robert BeardPolicy OfficerNAVCA, The Tower, 2 Furnival Square

SHEFFIELD S1 4QL+(0)114 289 3984policy@navca.org.ukwww.navca.org.uk/stratwork

• National Association for Voluntary and Community Action

• a national charity• a membership organisation:

– councils for voluntary services– forums and campaigning groups

• a voice to policy makers• an OCS strategic partner

The government’s programme:

• the vision: Big Society• the policy: localism• the strategy: decentralisation

Big Society• not a programme• an outcome• 3 strands:

– voluntarism, philanthropy and social action

– public service reform– community empowerment

• “Civil Society” and “Civil Society organisations”

Localism

Planning:local plans

Education:free schools

Health:GP consortia

Public Services:right to challenge

Public Buildings:assets of

community value

Cuts:local

implementation

Police:elected commissioners

Local government:elected mayors

Decentralisation

Big Society

• “won’t happen overnight”• “10-20 year project”• “a massive disconnect”

Nick Hurd, 16 November 2011

Localism Act

• new powers for councils• new rights for local people and

communities • planning reform • make housing fairer and more

democratic• incentives for economic growth

Localism Act• new powers for councils

– decentralisation– general power of competence– elected mayors– return to committee system

• Doncaster votes for referendum to abolish elected Mayor

• Nottinghamshire returning to committee structure

Localism Act

• new rights for local people and communities – right to challenge– assets of community value– council tax rise veto

• includes ‘virtual’ and ‘causal’ communities – Greg Clark

Localism Act• planning reform

– democratic and local control

• National Planning Policy Framework

• presumption in favour of sustainable development

• Select Committee calls for redraft

Localism Act

• make housing fairer and more democratic– local decision making– local control of social

housing

Localism Act

• incentives for economic growth– give councils more stake in local

economy– business rate discounts– tax breaks– rate supplements

• Local Government Finance Bill

Localism Act – will it deliver?

• danger of losing real expertise• generic procurement officers

– a lot about process– little about outcomes

• best bid, not best service

Real power for communities

• www.rp4c.org.uk/

Community right to challenge

• The provisions DON’T– offer successful challengers the

right to deliver services

Community right to challenge

• The provisions DO– trigger a procurement process– no contract breaks– open to all providers

• EU procurement law favours large providers

Community right to challenge

• Further action– big service deliverers

should work with local providers

– social clauses

Community right to challenge

Modernising Commissioning

• Green Paper (December 2010)– new opportunities in public service

delivery– making public service markets more

accessible– using ‘social value’ to inform

commissioning– Civil Society support for citizen and

community involvement

Modernising Commissioning

• NAVCA response– ‘payment by results’ risk to small CSOs– commissioners must understand sector– access to affordable professional

advice– importance of ‘social value’– training for commissioners

Which procurement rules apply?

EU draft procurement rules• modernise and simplify

commissioning• break down contracts – or

explain why not• reduce documentation• consider social impact• needs European parliament

and ministerial approval

Public Services (Social Value) Bill

• public bodies must take account of ‘wider economic, social and environmental well-being’

• consider whether to consult beneficiaries

• NAVCA social value briefings

Procurement and commissioning

• NAVCA publications– A Beginner’s Guide to Commissioning– Pathways Through the Maze– A Bridge Between Two Worlds– At Your Bidding