Yorkshire and Humber council leaders attack Localism Bill as unnecessary

Council leaders in the Yorkshire and the Humber region have united across party lines to object to aspects of the Government’s Localism Bill.

They welcomed the findings of the Communities and Local Government select committee last month that the Government’s localism agenda lacks clarity on the role of local government.

Roger Stone, chair of Local Government Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “Local authorities across Yorkshire and Humber are already doing the things that the Localism Bill aims to achieve – for example, involving people in the way we deliver our services, and handing over the ownership of council buildings, parks, libraries and other vital neighbourhood facilities to be run more effectively by local communities.

“Council leaders have already concluded that the Bill’s simply not needed and we’re concerned that, when this new legislation is forced through by the Government, we’ll have to use our valuable and limited resources to administer and report on what we’re already doing, rather than get the job done.”

Cllr Stone, who leads Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, pointed to research by the Local Government Association, which showed that meeting the extra costs of bureaucracy contained in the Bill could cost each council some £250,000 per year, and said this sum would be “much better spent in delivering the services that people need and value”.

Mark Smulian