As ballot papers start to land on doormats, the leader of the Local Government Association Conservative group says Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak need to tackle topics from social care and housing to finance and climate change.
The importance of local government in the Conservative leadership election was clearly demonstrated when, just a day after the conclusion of the parliamentary stage of the contest, the LGA Conservative group welcomed both Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to 18 Smith Square for a hustings with Conservative councillors.
Izzi Seccombe, leader of the Local Government Association Conservative group
Both candidates used their appearance to outline their commitment to local government, to explain their key priorities for the sector and to take questions across a range of policy areas from the more than 250 Conservative councillors who participated in person or virtually.
Building on the success of this event, the membership stage of the contest now offers us the opportunity to highlight those policy areas where we would like the successful candidate to consolidate recent positive announcements for the sector whilst also arguing for a change of direction elsewhere.
Social care pressures
For example, the proposals in the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill to give all areas in England the opportunity to benefit from further devolution combined with the focus on a local, plan-led system to allow councils to deliver the right types of homes in the right places with appropriately funded infrastructure have our strong support.
It is our view that councils should receive a higher share of the adult and social care levy
Similarly, the proposal in the Schools Bill to allow councils to establish their own multi-academy trusts is good news for the sector.
In social care, the ambitions of the cost of care reforms are admirable and widely supported.
However, these changes are taking place at a time when we have significant vacancies for social care workers, when we are struggling to recruit administrators to support new assessments, and when all social care councils are facing significant financial pressures.
We have therefore been clear to both candidates that the rollout of these reforms should be delayed to ensure that all the necessary processes are in place for a successful launch. It is also our view that councils should receive a higher share of the adult and social care levy.
Right to buy
Housing policy will be an important issue for debate in this contest. Owning your own home is a milestone, and for many people the right to buy scheme is the only way to get on the housing ladder.
However, we also know the number of new council homes being built is not keeping pace with those sold under right to buy, in large part because far too much revenue from sales goes to the Treasury.
In 2018 we had a significant victory when the government acted on the Local Government Association’s call to lift the housing borrowing cap.
Building on that success, in this contest we are reiterating our calls for councils to be able to keep 100% of right to buy receipts and to be able to set discounts locally.
In relation to devolution, we have been clear that one size fits all approaches do not work. As such, it is our position that the level three devolution envisaged in the levelling up white paper should be delivered across the country without the obligation for mayors.
Delivering net zero
Having participated in COP26 last year, I am clear that climate change needs to be at the forefront of the new prime minister’s priorities.
Every pound invested in council-run services such as public health helps to relieve pressure on other public services
Local government will be integral to the delivery of net zero by 2050, and we want to work even more closely with central government on measures such as retrofitting homes, delivering more sustainable transport and developing the cheaper, cleaner, homegrown renewables which will lower bills and reduce our reliance on volatile and insecure international sources of energy.
Finally, this contest also provides us with the opportunity to highlight the financial pressures that councils are facing, including the £3.6bn of inflationary pressures that have been added to budgets since November.
It is important that we are honest with central government about these pressures, but I am clear that we also need to set out a positive vision of how greater powers and funding for local government can actually save the taxpayer money whilst delivering better outcomes for local communities.
For example, at a time of increasing concern about the public finances there is an opportunity to highlight the fact that every pound invested in council-run services such as public health helps to relieve pressure on other public services while also being three to four times more cost-effective in improving people’s health than money spent in the NHS.
Whilst my vote in the leadership contest will remain private, the success of our hustings and the engagement of both candidates with those who attended means that I am confident that in either Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss local government will have a true friend and advocate in 10 Downing Street. I look forward to working with whoever is elected to deliver better outcomes for the people and communities that we represent.
Izzi Seccombe, leader of the Local Government Association Conservative group; leader, Warwickshire CC
