Local authorities face ‘Kafkaesque’ barriers to achieving net zero goals, and despite the progress of a handful of trailblazers, local authorities are still waiting for the Government to put the necessary resources and powers in place to deliver on their net zero ambitions. This conclusion, from UK100’s recently published Powers in Place report, is likely to be echoed by today’s Parliamentary debate into the role of local government in meeting net zero.
To meet the scale of the challenge, UK100 urges ministers to take forward action in three areas: 1) introduce a Net Zero Local Powers Bill; 2) put in place a Net Zero Delivery Framework, overseen by a Net Zero Delivery Unit; 3) end short-term competitive funding pots.
The UK needs to bolster investment in public transport, stop wasting precious energy on heating draughty homes, and shift to renewable energy to power the grid in a more flexible manner. All of these things must happen at scale but exactly how that change will take place will look different in every town and city across the country. Electric bikes might not be the only answer on the hills of the Cotswolds and EV charging stations won’t necessarily be popular on the canals of Stratford-upon-Avon. Local communities know what they want and should be empowered to make decisions to implement local solutions.
Unfortunately, like most Government funded projects, net zero projects are funded by a cacophony of grants from multiple departments. In answer to a question from Dr Matthew Offord, MP for Hendon, the newly created Department for Energy Security and Net Zero admitted they do not know how many grants there are or the total amount that has been spent on net zero, nor do they measure if these funded projects are actually meeting net zero. Under the current funding model, councils have the opportunity to apply for various pots of money, but they must weigh up whether a small grant is worth the human resources required to apply for it. The current decision making process is opaque, but adding additional layers of transparency wouldn’t speed up the time it takes to move through the approval process. Strong governance is needed, but splitting every pound spent on net zero projects into an innumerable number of grants results in an enormous amount of energy spent on analysing the business case for a £10,000 project for a footpath to encourage more people to walk, while we are completely unaware whether all of these grants put together will deliver net zero.
Instead of a merry-go-round of competitive grants and endless bidding, Whitehall should pool funding in areas such as transport, and allocate resources based on need, allowing local authorities to spend money as they see fit and implement plans that meet community needs. To empower local communities and enhance transportation services, it is imperative for Whitehall to adopt a streamlined funding approach while also decentralising powers to local leaders. This devolution would enable the delivery of strategic projects in towns and cities, like the development of a London-style integrated public transport system that is reliable, affordable, and user-friendly. By granting local authorities oversight over buses, mandating collaboration between bus and rail operators for efficient timetabling and cross-ticketing, and fostering cooperation between National Highways and local authorities to implement emissions reduction schemes on major highways within the local area, we can significantly improve transport infrastructure and drive faster delivery of Net Zero.
Similar problems arise in commercial and residential buildings and energy production. Local authorities should be able to determine if onshore wind is fit for the community, they should be able to introduce zero carbon measures in their building standards, and they should be able to implement local energy plans to decarbonise the energy network. If these decisions prove unpopular, they are answerable to their communities at the ballot box.
Whitehall has immense knowledge and resources and a critical role to play in enabling the delivery of net zero locally. But rather than analysing and debating every local decision – at huge financial cost – the central Government should be using its expertise to develop policy delivery frameworks that guide local partners. The onus should be on local authorities to deliver. Many are already acting alone, but successful strategies cannot fully deliver unless they are supported by a delivery infrastructure and adequate resourcing. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero should be creating a framework that defines the roles and responsibilities of authorities in delivering net zero, sharing data and knowledge between civil servants and local authorities, and developing a feedback loop to work through blockages and promote efficiency.
As all political parties commit to net zero and devolution, the focus should now be on recognising the strengths of local authorities as partners for delivery, and strengthening any weaknesses by developing adequate political, policy and funding support that enhances local delivery. Net zero will not be realised without enhanced partnership between national and local government that looks to the future with optimism and purpose.
Today’s debate in Parliament into the role of local government in reaching net zero, is one of many debates on net zero that litter recent history, resulting in no substantive change. Government must seize on the energy and desire of local government to meet net zero and not repeat history, but grasp it with both hands and choose to make it.
Patrick Hargreaves is a Parliamentary Officer for UK100.
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