England is one of the most centralised of all western democracies. Without constitutional definition or protection, local government can be treated as the service delivery arm of Whitehall and is not trusted to make its own decisions. This has huge practical implications for the everyday lives of people in local communities. Many decisions are best taken locally, but at the moment the balance of power is still skewed towards the centre. In order to transform lives, liberate talent, and increase engagement, it is essential that more decision-making is devolved to a local level. But, for devolution to be truly effective, it must be a right, not a gift, and involve financial independence. This issue is now the hottest debate in local government. The Core Cities, Jim O'Neil's RSA review, Boris Johnson and Tony Travers' work, added to my select committee's partnership with the Local Government Association, all point in one direction - independence.
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