The long-awaited local government White Paper has been heralded as ‘the first step on the long road' to devolution by the Local Government Association.

Chairman of the association, Lord Bruce-Lockhart, said the paper took significant steps on local leadership, deregulation and cutting red tape, reflecting the LGA's long-held position. ‘On devolution itself, there must be certainty over the next three months,' he said. ‘We need to see the full extent of the powers which are actually going to be devolved from regional and national government to councils.'