Levelling up
Our golden chance to improve the lives of children
The levelling up agenda provides us with the chance to tackle the rising number of children living in poverty, but this relies on Government committing to developing a cross-departmental strategy, says Charlotte Ramsden.
Levelling up: extreme measures
Dan Peters looks at the list of performance indicators chosen by Government for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and asks just how well is it performing so far.
Will Gove strengthen the DLUHC’s role in Whitehall?
Levelling up runs through each department’s outcome delivery plans. If Michael Gove is successful in fixing it the sector could be in pole position over the next few years, says Robert Pollock.
Relax planning rules to stimulate growth
Creating Levelling Up Investment Areas would empower Government and councils to transform places across the UK, writes Jason Longhurst.
Place based budgets should be implemented at a town level
In his article in a paper offering views ahead of the levelling up White Paper from economic development professionals, Daniel Harper says there’s no such thing as a solution for all towns.
There's a whiff of purpose once more on devolution
Devolution should rock the status quo and create a new culture of governance which pushes everyone who currently holds decision-making power out of their comfort zones, says deputy chief executive of New Local Jessica Studdert.
Mind the gap between levelling up ‘rhetoric and reality,’ think-tank warns
Central Government policies have undermined the levelling up agenda and left the UK more regionally divided than ever, a new study has claimed.
The stakes are high for the levelling up white paper
The Levelling Up White Paper must seek to broaden and deepen devolution, and provide a framework for it that offers local leaders the power and cash they need to tackle local and regional priorities, says Erica Roscoe.
Birmingham has a bold vision for levelling up
The levelling up White Paper must show how double devolution can deliver opportunities for every local place and back the innovations Birmingham is leading the way on, says Cllr Ian Ward.
Creating net-zero public engagement
Local Climate Engagement is a project to support local authorities or partnerships to plan, commission and deliver high quality public engagement in how best to reduce carbon emissions. Sarah Allan explains.
Will this year see lift-off for local government?
If Mr Gove is to deliver the aims of levelling up, to strengthen local leadership, boost civic pride and create equal opportunities for everyone, through devolution, he will need to act quickly, says Heather Jameson. Then there is finance....
Standards: the search for common ground
John Tizard says collaboration within and between sectors will be crucial to ‘building back better’ – but the principles of governance and behaviour should be universal.
It feels like we're going backwards on 'hybrid' council meetings
There appears to be no momentum to urgently provide councillors with the choice to attend meetings remotely or in person, says Quentin Baker. LLG and ADSO have launched a petition in the hope of allowing the House of Commons to express its opinion.
Ready for the resolution
At the opening of 2022, Ann McGauran and Heather Jameson look at what the coming year may bring – all the priorities and the unresolved policy problems that will make up our New Year's resolutions.
Levelling up funding failing to focus on social issues, finds research
Government levelling up funding is failing to focus on social issues and misses targetting crucial problems, according to new research.
More delays to levelling up White Paper could hinder outcomes
Jack Shaw says further delays to the the levelling up White Paper will make the decisions the Government will need to take even more difficult - and politically time is not on its side.
Essex CC's levelling up plans 'genuinely trailblazing'
Essex CC’s strategy and initiatives for levelling up across the county were praised today as ‘genuinely trailblazing’ by co-chair of The Purpose Coalition Justine Greening.
Doubts over Levelling Up Fund benefits
Britons are not confident that the Levelling Up Fund will bring more money to their local area, according to a new YouGov survey.
The road to stability
Tris Dyson says it’s time for Government to lead on innovation, to bolster financial resilience and improve access to jobs – and councils are best-placed to connect services.
This settlement is very much a stop gap
Cllr Sir Stephen Houghton of SIGOMA says a ‘stopgap’ settlement with a welcome funding boost needs to be followed by a fair funding review that supports the Government’s levelling up agenda.
