A change in mindset and culture in Whitehall and Westminster is needed for councils to get real devolution, according to the Leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Speaking at the LGA’s annual conference, Sir Ed Davey highlighted the value of decentralisation and called for a localist approach across government.
“It’s still far too top-down… local authorities have to earn autonomy and, if they are good, they get more powers every so often,” he said.
Local government is part of the solution to the many crises we face, from the cost of living and climate change to health and care, but needs to be involved from the start, and not as an “after-thought”, he told delegates.
“I want to create the solution with local government. I won’t tell you what the solution is because that’s the problem.”
