Commission calls on rural councils to make greater use of well-being powers

The Commission for Rural Communities has called on local authorities to make greater use of their powers under the Local Government Act 2000 to promote economic well-being.

The Commission’s report Economic well-being – guidance for local authorities highlights the legislative and policy background to use of the powers.  “Local authorities bring their statutory power to promote economic well-being to any project,” it suggested. “This provides a powerful mandate for action.”

Analysis of the CRC’s case studies suggests that local authorities “are at their best when they can be:

• Internally agile: operating across silos, placing the quality of outcome ahead of standard procedures
• Patient: taking a long view and offering continuity of involvement
• Enabling: working as agents to involve others and to support partnership working
• Supportive: willing to provide strategic and political support, as well as ‘seed corn’ financial help to nascent projects.”

The Commission called on local authorities to explore the use of economic performance measures that are wider than traditional measures of economic health, and to identify other departments within the council that are addressing problems or opportunities that could potentially be tackled by an economic well-being project.

Councils should also begin discussions on developing economic well-being projects within their local strategic partnership, and consider whether there are groups outside the “working population” within the local authority area that require assistance but which have not traditionally been the subject of economic development projects.

The CRC cited examples of good practice, such as the “Pension Extra” benefit take-up campaign in Caradon, Cornwall, which has helped pensioners in the area maximise their income through outreach activities and delivering health and housing advice, and “Out of the rut”, a commercial venture developed by Rutland Council designed to help vulnerable people back into the workforce by providing paid and supportive employment in horticulture, retail and associated activities.

Arguing that the use of economic well-being powers is “particularly valuable” in rural areas, Sarah McAdam, chief executive of the Commission for Rural Communities, said: “A recent government report found that use of this power was the exception rather than the rule. But there are still a significant number of local councils, particularly in rural areas, that have developed projects which address the economic well-being of their communities and we want to encourage others to learn from these examples.

“By focusing on economic well-being, local authorities can take a broad view of the contributions that people, businesses and communities make to a healthy economy and society and can take account of the social and environmental impacts of economic activities.”