27 November 2008

LIFTING THE BURDENS TASK FORCE ENDORSES CSS AND CEDOS VIEWS

An independent review of the bureaucratic and performance management between central and local government has endorsed the views of CSS and the Chief Economic Development Officers’ Society (CEDOS) on local government incentive schemes.

CSS and CEDOS made their joint submission to the task force after a call for evidence from the independent task force set up by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to conduct the review.

A report - Lifting the Burdens from Economic Development and Regeneration - just published by the task force, says that it supports CSS and CEDOS’s view that the characteristics of successful incentive schemes are:

• Being firmly based on the principles of simplicity, predictability, fairness, stability and transparency;
• Providing for long-term certainly of funding to enable local authorities and their partners to develop and implement long-term economic development and regeneration strategies;
• Be genuinely additional and not result from top-slicing existing funding.

The task force also supports CSS and CEDOS’s view that Government should combine any incentive schemes into a ‘single pot’ approach, which should be linked direct to local authorities to avoid long chains of decision-making.

Miles Butler, Chair of CSS’s Planning & Regeneration Committee, said: “CSS and CEDOS feel that there are a number of problems with the many national and regional incentive and other funding schemes and that barriers restrict local authority-led economic development and regeneration.

“We would like to see radical changes in how these incentives are implemented and believe that the best approach to economic development and regeneration is for local areas to be able to decide on their own priorities.”

The joint CSS and CEDOS response added that Government should encourage the use of incentive schemes to provide an extra impetus for local authority economic activity.

Linda Edworthy, Chair of CEDOS, said: “We very much welcome the Task Force’s support for our views. With the credit crunch and the onset of recession, the economic development role of local authorities is more important than ever. It is vital that Government ensures that elected local authorities have the long-term resources and effective incentives to lead the regeneration of their areas.”

ends

Media contact  

Susan Tolman, Daybreak Communications office 0845 644 3845; mobile 07786 543430; susan.tolman@daybreakcomm.co.uk 

Notes to editors

• CSS represents local authority chief officers who manage some of the most pressing issues facing the UK today. Originally known as the County Surveyors’ Society but now simply as CSS, membership is drawn from all four corners of the United Kingdom. Members are responsible for three-quarters of the road network, two thirds of the land area and just under half of the population of England and Wales. Operating at the strategic tier of local government, they are closely involved in crucial transport, waste management, environment, planning, energy and economic development issues.

www.cssnet.org.uk

• CEDOS is a forum for Economic Development professionals working for upper tier Local Authorities in England to meet, network and exchange best practice. It provides an opportunity to influence national and European policies by working closely with such organisations the Audit Commission, Improvement and Development Agency, Institute of Economic Development Officers and the Local Government Association.

• The current membership includes County Councils and Unitary Authorities which together represent over 47% of the population of England and provide services across over 84% of its land area.