Since the general election in 2010, a number of significant national policy changes have re-shaped the public sector. These will have a significant impact on the council’s budget. Here we highlight some of the legislative changes which will have the biggest impact:
Academies Act
Aims to give more schools in England, including primaries, the freedom to become academies allowing them to opt out of local authority control. It will also make it easier for parents and other groups to set up “free schools”.
Health & Social Care Bill
Proposes changes to NHS structures. Public health will return to local authority control, and it will review the accountability of health services and regulation of health and social care. The principles underpinning this reform include more personalisation and control for individuals over their own care.
Localism Bill
Councils will be granted a General Power of Competence. There are proposals for a community right to buy assets and a community right to challenge. It is the intention that there will be new neighbourhood plans and development orders.
In addition to these legislative changes, the Local Government Resource Review (LGRR) is looking at the way local authorities are funded, with a view to giving authorities greater financial autonomy and strengthening incentives to support local economic growth.
The full impact that these legislative/policy changes may have on the local authority over the next three years is not yet clear, as much of the legislation is still being shaped and debated by Parliament. However, it is clear that, taken together, such measures will undoubtedly constitute a very significant change to the provision of public services.
