Cuts to local government funding should not be allowed to ‘obscure the huge benefits’ devolution deals can offer local authorities, Lord Heseltine has warned.
Speaking at the LGA annual conference, former Conservative minister Lord Heseltine said the Government’s commitment to devolution - as seen in the Greater Manchester deal - presented local government with an unprecedented opportunity for change.
However, he warned councils that the Government would not devolve power ‘to the same local authority structure that they took power from in the first place’ and urged councils to negotiate new structures that are ‘robust and convincing’.
He added that it was essential new structures were competitive with international models of local governance, saying it was vital Local Enterprise Partnerships were bound into future business.
New chair of the Local Government Association Gary Porter used his first keynote speech to refute claims printed in the Financial Times that he was against extending the Right to Buy scheme. He said he supported the extension ‘in principle’ but added the policy must work locally.
He called for councils to be allowed to set Right to Buy discounts and to be allowed to retain 100% of the receipts locally.