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Monitoring Under Localism. Andrew Pritchard Director of Strategy. Introduction. East Midlands Councils Monitoring So Far Localism & Monitoring Some Choices Conclusions. East Midlands Councils. Represents the interests of local councils to Government and national organisations
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Monitoring Under Localism Andrew Pritchard Director of Strategy
Introduction • East Midlands Councils • Monitoring So Far • Localism & Monitoring • Some Choices • Conclusions
East Midlands Councils • Represents the interests of local councils to Government and national organisations • Enables local councils to work together on key issues of common concern • Supports local councils with employment, development advice & services
EMC: Some Current Initiatives • Low Cost CPD for local authority planners in the East Midlands • Planning for Localism Seminar • CLG Select Committee Evidence • Renewable Energy Opportunities & Heat Mapping (DECC funded)
EMC: Potential Future Initiatives • Interim management and technical skills ‘brokerage’ for local planning authorities • Joint procurement of research and information for Councils • Supporting change management & joint service provision between Councils • Supporting emerging LEPs
EMC: Review • Review of functions and funding of EMC to be completed by December 2010 • Likely that EMC will continue, but in a different form • More focused on supporting Councils through collective action and the provision of (traded) services • Likely to be reviewed on an annual basis
Monitoring So Far • 8 RPG/RSS Annual Monitoring Reports • Common definitions • Master Databases • CDP Smart • CDP Vision • £300,000 of investment • …and 1 Archive DVD
Localism • Governments vision is for a community based planning system underpinned by fiscal incentives • RSSs, Regional Targets, National Indicators, and generous RSG settlements: OUT • New Homes Bonus, Business Bonus, Renewable Energy Bonus and ‘Tax Increment Financing’: IN
Localism • ‘Slimline’ National Planning Framework • Co-ordinating role for LEPs (if they want it) – but no statutory strategic planning • More detail in forthcoming Localism Bill and consultations on fiscal measures – but no ‘tell me how’ guidance for planners! • Work it out for yourselves!
Localism & Monitoring • The new ‘bonus culture’ will require very accurate records of what gets built where • If you get the figures wrong, your Council could loose money (and jobs) – or be convicted of fraud! • Monitoring land use change will thus be central to implementing the localism agenda – and to keeping Councils solvent! • Expect some calls from your Chief Finance Officer!
Safeguarding the Investment • A significant amount of capital (financial & intellectual) has been invested in developing current monitoring systems • This will not be easy to find again in the future • How can we adapt what we have to meet new challenges?
Some Choices • Retain Smart & Vision? • Retain just Smart and abandon Vision? • Break up Vision into sub-regional chunks? • Throw everything out and start again? • What (if any) is the role of EMC? • What level of service would Councils pay for?
Conclusions • Localism represents the biggest shake up of the planning system for 40 years • Monitoring will underpin the ‘bonus culture’ and become crucial to Council’s finances as the CSR kicks in • We need to agree a way forward that works for Councils and makes best use of what we have