Localism should not mean parochialism

17 Aug 2010, 09:44 1 Comments View Comments | Add Comment

In the run up to this year's General Election, the Conservative Party promoted the idea of 'localism' over the 'regionalism' agenda that had been pursued by the Labour government for 13 years.

Since forming a new government with their coalition partners in May, the Tories have been quick to announce the abolition of Regional Development Agencies and Government Offices in the regions. We are now embarking on the creation of new structures to support strategic planning and the co-ordination of public and private investment in transport, housing, skills, regeneration and other areas of economic development.

Local authorities have been asked to submit proposals for new Local Economic Partnerships (LEPs) in their own areas, and bids have to be in by 6 September.

Whilst Liverpool and Manchester push ahead with proposals that will see single city-region wide LEPs established in Merseyside and Greater Manchester, Lancashire councils have once again decided to indulge in turf wars. Incredibly, there is talk of up to five LEPs covering the red rose county, with Pennine Lancashire, the Fylde Coast and two further LEPs being formed in Central Lancashire. To add to the chaos, there are rumours that Lancaster is about to throw its hat in the ring with Cumbria.

Lancashire County Council has proposed a single LEP covering its administrative boundary, an option supported by the vast majority of businesses across the county, but rejected by local politicians.

How anyone can justify the creation of a series of relatively small and therefore ineffective bodies that will appear overly bureaucratic and duplicitous to the business community, struggle to have a strategic vision and inevitably fail to compete with better coordinated and larger LEPs elsewhere in the North West is beyond me.

For 'localism' in Lancashire read 'parochialism'.

That is not what is required and surely not what the government intended.

Your Comments

1 Comments Add Comment

Hi Frank, could not agree more with your comments,I have just read Mike Damms comments in the LEP.He says it is not about size but suitability. As you say once again Lancashire is split. Maybe Pickles needs to be looking at sorting out local government in Lancashire once and for all. Regards malcolm…

comment by Malcolm Clarke | 19/08/2010 09:49:04

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