As the dust from the general election settles, it's time to take stock and look at what a Labour government has promised to deliver for local government, and what opportunities it will bring.
Our manifesto was peppered with clues about what additional powers, duties and support a Labour government would deliver for councils. Some key promises were:
support for councils and housing associations to increase affordable housing capacity, including reform of Right to Buy
a multi-year funding settlement for local government
an overhaul of the audit system restoring certainty, order, and timeliness to reporting
additional funding to increase the number of planning officers
introduce local growth plans to drive growth and deliver essential infrastructure across our communities
Some of our flagship policies - such as reforms of the planning system, Great British Energy, and a revised approach to education - clearly also have implications for local government given the roles councils play in these spaces.
Drilling down into the detail and policy papers that accompanied the manifesto, Power and Partnership: Labour's Plan to Power Up Britain sets out what we can expect from the new government when it comes to devolution and possible local government reform:
"Our landmark Take Back Control Act will help to establish a new, clearer framework for English devolution, structures for local and national leaders to work better in partnership, and a presumption towards pushing powers outside of Westminster and into the hands of those who know how to put them to the best use."
What does this look like in practice? The paper promises to give "local leaders" powers over transport, skills, housing, planning, employment support and energy, putting "the right powers in the right places so that local leaders in every town and city in England have the tools to grow their local economies and take advantage of their potential".
Looking at structures and possible models for local authorities, the paper says:
"A Labour government will ask all councils outside of an existing or agreed combined authority or county devolution deal to begin preparatory work to join together on sensible economic geographies and take on a new suite of powers through our enhanced devolution framework to benefit their residents. We will provide them with support and guidance to do so through the leadership of the Secretary of State and the expertise of the Department."
These partnerships do not have to follow the existing administrative lines, and there is considerable focus on prioritising economic areas rather than traditional political geographic areas in order to deliver growth.
What this could mean in practical terms is bodies such as the Hertfordshire Growth Board - which brings together districts, boroughs, the county council, NHS, local enterprise, further education and other key stakeholders with the objective of delivering 'good growth' for Hertfordshire - could be empowered and play a key role in bringing strategic powers and decision making closer to communities.
Labour has committed to a new partnership with local government based on mutual respect. At the heart of this new relationship are five promises to councils:
Provide longer-term funding settlements for councils, giving them the certainty they need to deliver better value for money.
Review the timing of cross-government funding announcements, so local leaders can join up local services and budget more effectively.
Make good on the government’s stalled investment projects and then bring an end to wasteful competitive bidding and a ‘begging bowl culture’ that has cost councils millions in failed bids alone.
Use central government to cut costs for local authorities and free up resources for prevention, for example by ending Section 21 ‘no fault evictions’ that create huge temporary accommodation pressures on councils.
Embed transparency and value for money at the heart of our partnership, reforming our broken local audit system and ensuring high standards of conduct for all councillors
Over the coming weeks, as our new ministerial teams bed in and get to grips with their departments and staff, we have the opportunity to own the promises made to the electorate, and link these to the asks made in the LGA White Paper.
The new government represents not just a fresh start and the chance to reset our relationship with Westminster, but also the certainty that local and central government will operate more as a partnership focused on delivering for our communities rather than in what has often felt like a dysfunctional service delivery relationship.
Looking at the class of 2024, a huge number of new MPs come from local government. Chair of the LGA Shaun Davies, LGA Labour Group Leader Nesil Caliskan, Camden Council Leader Georgia Gould, Deputy Leader of Gedling Michael Payne, amongst many other councillors will take up seats in the Commons. They join the likes of returning local government alumni Steve Reed, Lisa Nandy and Jim McMahon. In the Upper House, Baroness Sharon Taylor of Stevenage - Leader of the Council until 2023 when she was elevated, and still a sitting Hertfordshire County Councillor - is a working peer on the Labour frontbench with the local government brief. On paper, there has never been a government with a stronger local government team.
What this means for councils is we have friends and colleagues in positions of influence who know the challenges we face, because up until today they were living them daily - and some will undoubtedly continue to do so as they adjust to their new roles and by elections are worked through. Regardless of party affiliation, councillors have much to hopeful of with the make up of the new government. Maintaining links with our friends and colleagues in Westminster will be key to delivering on the sector's asks and bringing the LGA White Paper to life.
Keir Starmer's Shadow Cabinet had a standing invitation to the Leader of the LGA Labour Group. Nick Forbes and Shaun Davies had a seat at the table throughout the formative period of this new government, shaping policy direction and feeding in the offer from the sector, as well as what we need to be able to deliver. It is hoped newly elected LGA Chair Cllr Louise Gittings will continue the positive relationship and that the new Cabinet continues working closely with the LGA. Councillors - a number of whom are now MPs - were instrumental in shaping our manifesto via the National Policy Forum. The fruits of this work will now be seen as manifesto policies are worked through and transformed into legislation and statutory instruments.
When Labour MPs say they understand the value of councils, are listening to our concerns, and want to work with us to make things better, we can, and should, believe them.
Today is the first day of a fresh chapter for local government. It's full of hope and the future looks bright.