Locality Working Conference

1. Locality Working Conference Friday 4th March, 2011 University of Cumbria, Newton Rigg

2. Welcome and Introduction: Will Williams (Cumbria Leadership Board)

3. Policy Context: Clarissa Corbisiero (Local Government Association)

4. Localism Bill Clarissa Corbisiero, Senior Policy Consultant Local Government Association

5. The Bill in numbers • 405 pages • 208 clauses • 24 schedules • Over 140 regulation making powers, order making powers, guidance, statutory requirements, duties.

6. 7 Parts of the Bill • Local government, inc. General Power of Competence, elected mayors, standards, pay accountability, repeals of previous legislation • EU Fines • Non-Domestic Rates • Community Empowerment • Planning, inc. neighbourhood planning, Community Infrastructure Levy, enforcement • Housing, inc. allocation, tenure reform, housing finance • London, inc. transfer of housing functions and Mayoral Development Corporations

7. Powers and Governance • General Power of Competence • Elected mayors • A return to the committee system • Standards

8. Big Society • Local issues referenda • Community right to buy • Community right to challenge • Neighbourhood planning

9. Finance • EU Fines • Housing Finance reform • Community Infrastructure Levy • Council tax referenda

10. Planning and delivery • Regional Spatial Strategies • Duty to cooperate • Flexible tenancies • Tenancy strategies

11. Next steps • Bill currently in committee • Write to your local MP or to the Minister • Template letters available on the LGA website • Get in touch - localism.bill@local.gov.uk

12. National Perspectives on Localism and Locality Working: Nick Chase (Action with Communities in Rural England)

13. Locality Working Conference Locality Working Conference Nick Chase ACRE Director Policy and Research

14. What is the Big Society? Re-balancing relationships, and expectations, between the state and civil society Local people taking action for themselves A focus on small neighbourhoods Policy initiatives to support bottom-up decision-making and responsibilities A shift from ‘engagement’ in shaping public services to allowing communities to empower themselves

15. The Localism Bill Decentralisation - ‘growth brings reward’ Neighbourhood Planning – parish councils propel a community-led vision into a statutory framework Right to Build – communities able to develop small scale mixed developments to bolster sustainability Assets of Community Value – safeguarding pubs, shops or land needed for existing purposes BUT not NEW purposes Right to Challenge – negotiating with public service providers to retain services in different ways

16. The Localism Bill (Finance) Developer pre-application discussions with communities as well as local authorities Community Infrastructure Levy & devolution to communities New Homes Bonus & devolution to communities Cross subsidy – market sites with community facilities and affordable housing Will the ‘rewards for growth’ concept apply to communities too?

17. Rural ‘Big Society’ in action Independent neighbourhood governance Most local community assets under local ownership Already delivering some ‘public services’ Culture of community-led planning to decide on local priorities Support systems well developed Rural innovation – integrated services, cross sector partnerships

18. 20 years of history of inclusive collaborative democracy leading to community-led action Community organised, involving parish & town councils and all existing community groups Evidenced-based – drawing on community and public data Externally facilitated, but light touch – ensures inclusion, creates challenge, dialogue and debate Takes up to 18 months to complete – the process is as important as the result Facilitation provides brokerage with local government, service providers and statutory plans Community Led Planning

19. Neighbourhood Planning – we think! CLP wo r k Explore planning related matters Community Led Plan Remove simple, immediate actions Neighbourhood plan R H E / etc Cost actions, define principles and site-specific actions (RtBuild, ACValue) Section 106/CIL NDO Examination Development Plan Documents

20. The Localism Bill – the issues Centralisation or just premature – significant aspects to be delivered through secondary regulation Sustainable development – how to ensure growth and protect the environment Strategic v. localism – between national and local government and local government and communities Entrepreneurship v. inclusion – impact of articulate communities and articulate voices within a community Empowering v. moribund parish councils – should they have a privileged position in this? Cost, cost and more costs....... Who pays?

21. ACRE’s involvement with CLG teams CLP Local Authority Guide – January Community Right to Build team– August Assets of Community Value team – July Right to Challenge – September Neighbourhood Planning Sounding Board – December Neighbourhood Planning Vanguard Project Steering Group – December National Policy Planning Framework – February Oral & written evidence to the Public Bill Committee Rural Coalition & Ministerial meetings – December RICS Land & Society Commission – January Joint work/meetings with PAS, Planning Forum

22. RCAN, CLP and planning authorities • RCAN members have strategic focus on planning – have developed LA guidance for CLP • Only 40% of planning departments ‘supportive of CLP’, but this was before neighbourhood planning • Neighbourhood planning – potentially, very expensive for local authorities – community support is needed. • Status of LDFs – potential timetabling issues? • Can we offer a short-cut: • ‘Fast-track CLPs that have ‘positive planning attitudes’ – transition to neighbourhood plans • Can LAs ‘bypass referendum’ stage by inclusion of appropriate policies in revised LDFs?

23. Cumbrian Perspectives on Localism and Locality Working: Jill Stannard (Cumbria Chief Executives’ Group)

24. Workshop Discussion Groups

25. Cumbrian Locality Working

26. Practice framing Policy: Copeland Localities Together Julie Betteridge, Head of Development Strategy, Copeland Borough Council

27. Presentation Content Locality Approach Theory Locality Development in practice Resources Outcomes Principles Moving Forward

28. The Locality Model – West Cumbria Locality Boards - Governance Public Service Delivery Community

29. Learning Point 1 Early engagement with key partners Need all three tiers engaged together For genuine partnership and engagement

30. Copeland Locality Development Commitment to principles, open to ‘participate’ . Concerns about the added value. Build on existing experience, capacity and learning. Regular Communication – “informed”. Support pilot areas – variety approaches. Potential to look at long standing issues in developing locality working arrangements.

31. Learning Point 2 Recognise sense of belonging and positioning in and within localities Work with existing structures where these have organic roots in the community Local decisions on sense of place

32. Learning Point 3 Take time for active engagement Pace set by local community leaders Enable sharing and linkages

33. Learning Point 4 Enable local determination with Shared principles, Objectives, and Methodology

34. Learning Point 5 Champions essential Use of advisory mechanisms Representation agreed at local level Integration Enabling resources

35. Copeland Localities North West Whitehaven North East Copeland Localities Together South West Mid

36. Learning Point 6 Embrace independence and choice Sustainability of existing community leadership mechanisms Inclusive and flexible approach

37. Learning Point 7 Using and sharing experience and legacy Balancing boroughwide, locality and neighbourhood Widening involvement through doing and delivering

38. Learning Point 8 The Plan is the core tool and requires Time To be locally driven Follow up – Linkages “enablers”

39. Focus on Copeland Partnership Relationships Communities at core Neighbourhoods to Localities to Localities Together to Copeland Partnership Conference Existing themes Task and finish Joint working Locality Plan Evidence Resources Evidence Resources Provider Plans

40. Influence Local Input – not just consultation Shift in service impact assessment Joint working on LDF and other strategies

41. Community Regeneration Integral elements of Local Strategies and Plan Rooted in Regeneration Rooted in community planning /development

42. Learning Point 9 Learning process – building on what works 2 way process for buy in from service providers Sustaining structures need support

43. Learning Point 10 Listen to past experience Integrate learning into new designs Rationalise in partnership

44. Principles Activity at the appropriate level Sustainability through community leadership role Inclusive engagement via community planning and delivery Evidence based Shared Partnership (including Locality) Guide

45. Meeting our Challenges What Service changes and local impacts Resource issues Communications How Owned and inclusive framework Agreed methodology and principles Track record - Rooted in community regeneration Shared forums

46. Locality Perspective Keith Hitchen Chairman CALC

47. Question and Answer Session:

48. Lunch

49. Summary of the Morning Workshops

50. Localism In Cumbria means … • Building in best practice and pilots • Flexibility • Bottom up, rather than top down • Opportunity to make a BIG difference