(a) Helping communities adapt to economic and financial change

The global banking crisis and recession are changing the face of many localities – making strong and responsive leadership more necessary in our towns and cities than ever before. Throughout this year NLGN will advocate active intervention by local government in support of their economies, encouraging local solutions which build economic resilience, promoting new tools for councils to use and suggesting new
policy routes for elected members to help businesses and residents in their area. The subsequent impact of the downturn on public finances means councils will be forced to prepare for rapidly diminishing resources for the decade ahead, and in an era of rising demand and public expectation, local government will face testing political decisions. This is an environment which NLGN will anticipate, model and study.

(b) Freeing-up and promoting local democracy and decision-making

In a time of democratic disengagement, it is imperative to demonstrate and enable locally elected councillors to lead their communities coherently and persuasively. All major political parties are committed to a devolutionary agenda. NLGN intends to scope out what new freedoms and flexibilities are required to unlock the leadership potential of communities, and reinvigorate local democracy and effective decision-making at all
sub-national levels. Many of our recommendations depend on an end to the Whitehall dependency culture; challenging the centralisation of decision-making and performance monitoring and supporting local leadership to break out of a reliance on the centre for guidance and resources.. We will campaign vigorously for the party political manifestos to pledge the further strengthening of local powers, especially the right for councils to have general permission to act within the law. In particular, we will focus on crucial areas of public policy – such as delivering capital infrastructure – and make the case for new devolved freedoms from central control. While our call for decentralisation will be backed up with evidence of the gains which might be attained, we will also ensure that our reforms focus on enhancing not diminishing the local provision of services to citizens. Our research programme will focus on the next wave of reforms, governance changes and devolved powers likely to make the greatest impact.

(c) Mapping the frontiers of the innovative local state

The nature of localism itself is under scrutiny as professionals, providers and citizens are handed more power. Therefore, a more sophisticated understanding of the function of the local state must be forthcoming to gauge the new radical role it should play in mobilising civic renewal, initiating behavioural change, unlocking innovation and enabling tailored solutions and choice. NLGN will evaluate and research proposals from leading political parties to reallocate strategic services away from councils to professionals, providers, parents and community organisations.