Hounslow Council Leader, Councillor Shantanu Rajawat has issued a statement in response to the publication of the Government’s Devolution White paper.
Published: Wednesday, 18th December 2024
Responding to the Government's Devolution White Paper, Cllr Rajawat, said:
“Councils remain the most effective part of the public sector, and they need to be an integral part of government’s missions, so I very much welcome this opportunity for meaningful public service reform which can draw on local expertise and knowledge to transform local economies and local lives.
“I also welcome this White Paper’s recognition both of the negative effects of local government underfunding over the last fourteen years, and - more importantly - of the need to replace a “Whitehall knows best” mentality that has wilfully limited scope for local innovation.
“Finally, it is very welcome that this White Paper represents a devolution which enables creative local solutions to challenges that differ from place to place and council to council, and the promise of greater autonomy and multi-year funding settlement for councils needs to be viewed alongside a Local Government Funding Settlement this week which has to show how councils can be funded so they can play a full role in a decade of national renewal.
“The White Paper rightly highlights London as an example of successful devolution, but London is not homogenous, so refining devolution will mean considering sub-regional and local perspectives when there isn’t a single London position. Working effectively with the Mayor of London, partners and other local authorities across the capital will be crucial to maximising London’s ability to be a catalyst for growth, regionally, sub-regionally, or locally.”
