Call for tax and political devolution to come 'hand in hand'

摘要

Fiscal and political devolution must come 'hand in hand', The Infrastructure Forum has said in its Autumn Statement submission. The forum's cities and regions working group criticised efforts such as the single local growth fund, which it said have 'only cemented communities' reliance upon Whitehall through voiding any devolved fiscal responsibility'. It called for changes that were 'not grounded in handouts from Whitehall, but in letting these local communities shoulder fiscal responsibility with all the attendant risk and reward'. The forum attacked the 'over-complication of funding matters', adding: 'As of 2014 there are well in excess of 100 different funding lines for local government and most come with various and complicated rules, ring-fences and other factors that limit flexibility'. The submission read: 'Notwithstanding the administrative burden and therefore cost this must have centrally, there is a widespread lack of comprehension on behalf of local authorities as to the number of funding lines they have available to them.