Brexit should be an opportunity to devolve power to the regions and promote local growth, commission says.
Public sector leaders have produced five key policies the next Government should focus on in order to ensure Brexit is a success for public services and the people who rely on them.
The Brexit Commission, a group comprised of public sector leaders, experts and economists, urged the next Government to make a commitment to understanding and quantifying the impacts of leaving the EU on public services.
The Commission, which was set up by The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), also called for the creation of a sub-committee of the Exiting the European Union Cabinet Committee to study the impact of Brexit on public services.
The third policy recommendation offered by the Commission was that Whitehall should ‘seize the opportunity’ of Brexit to reform public services. Specifically, they advised any inefficient EU regulations should be dropped.
Whitehall should also put in place short-term measures to deal with the immediate impact Brexit negotiations could have on public services. For example, a change in migration flows could cause ‘unfilled vacancies’ in areas such as the social care sector.
The final recommendation of the Brexit Commission related to devolution.
Whatever party comes to power on the 8 June, they should ensure powers repatriated from Brussels should be devolved to the nations and regions. This would help boost local economies and promote inclusive growth, and should be done through consultation with local services.
