Central-local relations under Labour (2024-): emerging themes and issues in English devolution

The Labour Government elected in July 2024 has now had six months in office. With publication of the Devolution White Paper on 16 December 2024, this is a good moment to assess the direction of travel in the government’s approach to central-local relations (MCHLG, 2024). To summarise, devolutionary elements are welcome but cautious and incremental, while the (potentially) radical elements around reorganisation are not devolutionary. In this respect, the White Paper marks continuity in the British state tradition. The wide-ranging devolution community of interest recognises progress, whilst expressing disappointment at the lack of ambition (https://citizen-network.org/work/local-england). That which is to be welcomed in the White Paper reinforces the change of tone towards local government. The further devolution of functions to city-regions, simplified funding arrangements, multi-year settlements and rollout of new central-local partnership bodies (and the localisation of power to amend byelaws) are all devolutionary measures to empower metro-mayors. Moreover, the White Paper is represented by ministers and sympathetic commentators as a floor, not a ceiling, and the most optimistic commentaries witness the beginning of a more radical shift (Studdert, 9.12.2024). If the White Paper is a floor, the ceiling is neither clear nor near. Endemic features of the centralised British state tradition remain unchallenged and if anything augmented. There is to be no fiscal devolution, though the government is open to the idea of devolving further functions and resources to single settlement authorities. The vision of English local government that emerges is based around the evolution of a bifurcated system of very large Mayoral “strategic” authorities, intended to be growth machines (Molotch, 1976), and enlarged principal authorities charged with public service (mostly social service) delivery. Taken to its conclusion, this new wave of reorganisation will see the abolition of district councils, posing major questions about political and democratic identities and accountabilities. These preoccupations with growth and efficiency seek to amplify and ultimately conclude a pre-existing local state restructuring project, an agenda with arguably centralising overtones expressed in the language of devolutionary ambition. This paper delves into central government messaging in greater depth, focusing on the period since the General Election of July 2024 and concluding with the Devolution White Paper of December 2024. It finds familiar ambiguities and dilemmas in the top-line commitment to devolution redolent in some ways of the New Labour approach, reflecting the endemic centralism in English governance (Rae, 2011). These ambiguities point, above all, to the need to make legible rules, traditions and governmentalities that have long defined central-local relations, and have quickly remerged under the current government. This report is for the Improving Public Funding Allocations to Reduce Geographical Inequalities project funded by the ESRC. The project brings together a highly experienced interdisciplinary team from the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, De Montfort, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth and Sheffield, together with the National Centre for Social Research and Metro Dynamics

The Green Book

The Green Book is a key guidance document used by the UK Government for over half a century to inform the appraisal and evaluation of public investments. This contribution assesses the use of the Green Book in appraising sub-national applications for UK central government funding. It discusses the role of the Green Book in the assessment of sub-national applications for central government funding. It then moves on to examine its strengths and weaknesses, followed by an examination of what may be learnt from international practices of central government appraisals of place-based funding applications. This report is for the Improving Public Funding Allocations to Reduce Geographical Inequalities project funded by the ESRC. The project brings together a highly experienced interdisciplinary team from the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, De Montfort, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth and Sheffield, together with the National Centre for Social Research and Metro Dynamics

Fiscal federalism

The organisation of responsibilities and finances between different levels of the state is a fundamental task for governments in achieving their political and public policy goals. This arrangement of powers and resources underpins how funding is allocated and distributed between government levels and geographical areas. Fiscal federalism refers to this organisation of responsibilities and funding. It has become increasingly important internationally following the expanded roles of national governments and their policies and funding programmes in responding to the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020, and the recent geopolitical disruptions of conflict in Ukraine and the middle east. Fiscal federalism also informs debates about the decentralisation of governance and funding in devolving centralised states including the UK. This review outlines the definition of fiscal federalism, its underlying assumptions, principles of public funding allocation, advantages and disadvantages, before concluding. This report is for the Improving Public Funding Allocations to Reduce Geographical Inequalities project funded by the ESRC. The project brings together a highly experienced interdisciplinary team from the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, De Montfort, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth and Sheffield, together with the National Centre for Social Research and Metro Dynamics

Utilisation of funding

There is considerable interest in how funding is allocated to local stakeholders to address spatial inequalities and in the amount of funding that is available where. However, funding comes with rules on how, when, where and on what it can be spent. The focus of this review is on the factors influencing how funding is/ can be used to address local priorities that will address spatial inequalities and associated challenges and opportunities. This report is for the Improving Public Funding Allocations to Reduce Geographical Inequalities project funded by the ESRC. The project brings together a highly experienced interdisciplinary team from the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, De Montfort, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth and Sheffield, together with the National Centre for Social Research and Metro Dynamics

Devolution and subsidiarity

There has been a global trend towards devolution over recent years, with data showing that subnational authority has deepened in most countries around the world (Hooghe et al, 2023). The United Kingdom, however, remains a stark exception with an exceptionally centralised system of governance. This review examines some key issues relating to the prospect for greater fiscal devolution in the UK, including 1) the rationale for the devolution of funding, 2) the challenges devolution of funding pose for institutional capacity and capability in terms of both strategy and delivery, and 3) how English devolution has evolved and the implications for central-local relations. This report is for the Improving Public Funding Allocations to Reduce Geographical Inequalities project funded by the ESRC. The project brings together a highly experienced interdisciplinary team from the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, De Montfort, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth and Sheffield, together with the National Centre for Social Research and Metro Dynamics

Public participation in policymaking

Involving the public in local government decisions fosters democratic participation and ensures that citizens have an influence over policies that affect their lives. This document sets out how public participation can take place, its strengths and challenges, and its application to policy issues relating to fiscal devolution. This report is for the Improving Public Funding Allocations to Reduce Geographical Inequalities project funded by the ESRC. The project brings together a highly experienced interdisciplinary team from the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, De Montfort, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth and Sheffield, together with the National Centre for Social Research and Metro Dynamics

The accommodation of sustainability in the EU Internal Market public procurement system

The main aim of this paper is to analyse the accommodation of sustainability considerations within the European Union’s (EU) Internal Market public procurement (PP) system. The paper investigates whether EU PP law can be used as a tool to further sustainability while advancing its main objective of removing barriers to trade and opening PP markets

BEAR PGR Conference 2024 - Conference proceedings

BEAR Conference proceedings are the collection of papers and posters that were presented at the BEAR PGR conference. Conferences provide opportunities for people to present their research, and get input from other researchers and colleagues in their field

Young Ukrainians in the UK: lives in limbo

The project is underpinned by the need to evaluate the measures supporting young, displaced Ukrainian people. While young people constitute a large number of arrivals to the UK from Ukraine, there is little data about their experiences including education, employment, housing and social relations in general. Still, most of the young refugees would like to stay in the UK even when it would feel safe to return to Ukraine, as both our study, and the recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) demonstrate. Since 2022, many of the young Ukrainians have graduated from school, started higher education (HE) degrees or begun working, and are trying to build their lives in the UK. However, they face challenges from forced displacement, war trauma, and adapting to a new country. Despite their efforts, there is little indication that their social and intellectual contributions are adequately valued. Ukrainians have no certainty of their future life in the UK as neither the Ukrainian Family Scheme nor the Ukrainian Sponsorship Scheme (“Homes for Ukraine”) provide pathways for citizenship

First steps in Urban Tree Canopy Cover

Trees provide a range of benefits for urban society including biodiversity enhancement, promoting better health and wellbeing, and increasing urban resilience to extreme weather such as heavy rainfall and hot summer temperatures. Quantifying how much of a given area is covered by trees, when viewed from above, i.e. the tree canopy cover, provides a proxy for these current benefits and projections can be made for future benefits. Generally, the larger a tree canopy, the greater the ecosystem services provided by the tree. Urban Tree Canopy Cover (UTCC) is expressed as a percentage of the total area or in m2, ha2 or km2