By Ian Parry, CfGS Director of Governance Services
What a scorcher. That red-hot furnace of the General Election campaign, preceded by some hotly contested local elections and then the frequent sizzling temperatures of a changing UK climate has kept councils simmering in a few months of hectic, often sweaty, activity.
The summer holidays are pretty much over, barbecues packed away and kids are getting tetchy about what is store in the new school year. But if you are quick and lucky there are still a few days left to squeeze in a quick break before everyone knuckles down to the ‘autumn term’ and the aftermath of an historic GE result and a new Government to fathom and get to know.
This late summer period is often when the thinking and planning gets done and this year there is plenty to think about. It’s been over 14 years since the Labour Party was last in government, which will inevitable mean change is on its way, and in many areas has already begun. Therefore, it will be necessary to consider the implications and possibilities that a change of government may have for councils, particularly in terms of their governance, accountability, and scrutiny.
For councils it’s not yet clear so far what is in governments mind. In areas such as funding and support, we will need to wait until the autumn statement to get a clearer indication of intent. Public sector pay seems to be something that is an early priority, with clear implications for council budgets, not just in payroll terms but in pipeline costs too.
The killer questions around future funding for Social Care and SEND cost, which for some councils are now spiralling uncontrollably without a solution in sight, plus the general question about fair funding formulas and the future of certain grant streams, are all still food for speculation.
Among the known-knowns are that Government seems intent to build more homes, to drive economic growth and in order to achieve this a more accommodating planning system at local level will be required, or maybe an additional override when controversial or key applications are decided higher up the command. It’s a further potential challenge for councils and their members to grapple with.
Dare we mention devolution? Ok, why not, it’s clearly on the new Government’s agenda and in some ways with added zip as ministers appear to be offering an almost something for everyone approach, again with unlocking opportunity and potential as a key driver. This will inevitably occupy the thoughts of many councils as they size up the options and hold meetings between interested (and also disinterested) parties before considering progressing to a bid stage. We are almost inevitably going to witness another phase of change and reorganisation as the emerging government devolution strategy dangles more carrots.
Many areas of local government, in the wider sense of public services, are continuing to show signs of prolonged stress in almost every direction you look. The recent riots happening simultaneously in several parts of the country revealed how stressed our civil contingencies currently are and how responding flexibly to such events is becoming more and more challenging for councils.
That’s on top of a housing crisis which is stretching the limits of Councillors’ patience as many are trying to support the needs of residents as well as being kind and welcoming to refugees and asylum seekers.
It’s worth assessing, or perhaps scanning, what changes may lay ahead and how councils will need to adjust, prepare and plan. And for scrutiny functions to get on top of this in terms of their future scrutiny conversations with Cabinet/Decision-Makers and the level of collaborative working and future work programme planning needed. Change often happens must faster that we expect, so time spent thinking and plannings is seldom wasted.
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