03.10.18
Greater devolved powers to councils ‘long overdue,’ Boris Johnson says
Boris Johnson has called for greater powers to be given to local authorities around the UK to help combat the rising costs of services for social care and children’s services.
In a speech at the Conservative party conference at the ICC in Birmingham yesterday, the former foreign secretary said greater fiscal devolution being granted to local authorities will give them a “motive” to go for growth, and prevent councils such as Nottinghamshire County Council, Newcastle City Council, and Swindon Council being pressured by mounting demand for children’s services.
“Let’s give councils the incentives they need to encourage growth, and give planning permissions on those brownfield sites, with long overdue fiscal devolution,” said the boisterous MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
“Give the councils the ability to retain stamp duty, council tax, business rates, and annual tax on enveloped dwellings, and they will have a motive to go for growth.
“Of course you would need to prevent councils from hiking the business rate, and you would need an equalisation formula because the yields are so different across the country.
“But fiscal devolution is not only Tory in principle. It is a way to help councils that are really feeling the squeeze – with the rising cost of services for the elderly. And at the same time it is the way to build the homes our children and grandchildren are going to need.”
Yesterday the LGA found that plans to cut a further £1.3bn in local government funding will “tip many councils over the edge.”
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