MPs look at local government reform to smooth ‘levelling up’

A PARLIAMENTARY committee is to examine reforming local government structures to allow regions to have a better chance at “levelling up”.

The Commons Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee has launched an inquiry, which will look into the roles of powerhouses, local enterprise partnerships and growth hubs, city and regional mayoralties, and councils, and how reform could deliver growth.

With a focus on issues such as targeted regional investment and regional funding, the Government’s Project Speed to deliver infrastructure upgrades and the green economy, the committee is now taking evidence until September 1.

Committee chair Darren Jones (inset) said: “Levelling-up is one of the main declared goals of this Government. “Ultimately, however, the success of the Prime Minister’s levelling-up agenda, in England at least, will rely on English regions having the right local structures in place to deliver meaningful local growth.

“At present, there is a hotchpotch of institutional arrangements across the country with some areas having myriad authorities; from councils and city and regional mayors to local economic and business initiatives and powerhouses.

“One of the questions we will explore is whether these institutional arrangements act coherently and stimulate real local growth.”

The inquiry will look into how “shovel-ready” growth projects in England could drive local growth and jobs, as well as clustered research and development investment.

It will also examine how the Government’s Project Speed should identify and distribute growth opportunities into communities across the country to best achieve the levelling up agenda.

Project Speed was set up by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak in order to “scythe through red tape and get things done” to build better, greener and faster.

The study will also feed in to the committee’s post-pandemic economic growth inquiry, launched in June, which is likely to run for the length of the next parliament.