City leaders push for power at devolution summit

THE leaders of 10 UK cities have called for enhanced local powers at a major devolution summit.

City bosses, including the leader of Leeds City Council, signed a ‘freedom charter’ setting out the powers they say are needed to reach their potential.

The charter, launched in the 800th anniversary year of the Magna Carta, sets out the basic principles on how powers can be devolved from national parliaments to drive prosperity, increase equality and strengthen democracy.

Echoing the original Magna Carta, it also calls for more control over taxes. Not to raise taxation levels – but to improve efficiency and make sure that money raised locally is spent locally by people who know their area.

And it adds that the cities that want this, and meet set criteria, should be able to retain some property taxes and a percentage of income tax, to redesign everything from creating jobs to improving housing.

The charter was launched yesterday at the Core Cities UK Devolution Summit in Glasgow, which attracted high-profile speakers including Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, Scottish Labour Leader Jim Murphy and Keith Brown MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities.

Leader of Leeds City Council councillor Keith Wakefield said: “The case is now overwhelming for cities and city regions to be given significantly more responsibilities and control of resources to develop and manage their own futures. The centralised Whitehall model is no longer fit for purpose in 21st century Britain, local people know best what their specific needs are and have shown they can make funding and resources work much more effectively and efficiently.

“Devolution would allow a much more targeted and localised approach to bring about growth through job creation, regeneration and skills improvements along with better transport, housing and infrastructure all integrated together to offer opportunities and the chance of improved lives for all.

“With cities and regions free to develop in their own way, the benefits would be immense as areas begin to realise their potential, bringing about a gradual rebalancing and strengthening of the national economy and helping Britain become even more influential on the international stage. The Freedom Charter sets us on a clear path to achieve that goal.”

The summit also saw the launch of a new report from leading think tank ResPublica which sets out a timetable for any incoming government to commit to devolution.

ResPublica director Phillip Blond said: “Our report is radical because the issue of why Core Cities have not been fulfilling their potential needs a completely new perspective. It’s not enough to simply say we can tweak at the edges anymore.

“These cities deserve the fullest possible devolution of public spending and tax raising powers. We are now calling on all the parties to agree a timetable for devolution. It’s time we stopped the failures in these great regions and ensured their future growth and prosperity.”