Following last Thursday’s shock General Election result which saw the Conservative Party secure a majority in the House of Commons, little has been reported about the significant gains the party made in local government, particularly in the south of England. Bellenden’s Managing Director, Phil Briscoe, writes on the impact of the local elections on the local government, planning and property.
How is local government looking after 7 May?
Mirroring the national trend, the Conservative Party had an extremely good night in the local elections, gaining over 541 council seats and taking control of 32 local authorities across England. Places such as Gloucester, East Lindsey, Bath and North Somerset, Winchester, Poole and Basingstoke now have Conservative majority councils, representing a significant political shift in the landscape of local government across the country. UKIP also had a good night, gaining over 176 council seats, although this was quite short of some predictions. They did manage to take control of Thanet Council – the party’s first local authority majority.
Does this mean policy at a local level will echo Government policies?
The outcome of the election will mean greater consistency in Conservative policy across the national and local level but this relationship will not be without tensions. On the one hand, it will be much easier to implement national policy locally. However, we should still expect friction between the two tiers. Housing policy is one area where the Conservative Party’s national objective of delivering 275,000 new homes will undoubtedly face resistance from local Conservative councils seeking to protect green belt land and limit what they see as undue or overdevelopment.
Will local government get a better deal now from the new Conservative government?
There are some areas where local government will undoubtedly experience benefits. The City Deal initiative and regional devolution will allow more local authorities to take control of strategic issues around economic development, transport and social care, with business rates also being retained in some trial areas. The Conservatives are also looking to extend the concept of localism to put even more planning powers in the hands of local communities. The party’s seriousness about its localism agenda was reinforced this week with the appointment of Greg Clark as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Mr Clark is a known advocate of decentralisation and has the ability to place more power in the hands of local people.
Will these changes pose any problems for business?
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In general, a majority government is good for business, providing a greater degree of certainty and confidence. However, one sector that does face a level of uncertainty is renewable energy. Wind farms and solar farms are now likely to face heightened political opposition at both national and local levels. A proposed move towards local planning determination for wind farms provides a means for the Government to place decisions making in the hands of the communities in which the schemes are proposed. If this goes ahead, it will be down to the developer to demonstrate that there is local support for its scheme in order to secure planning permission.
How can Bellenden help respond to the challenges ahead?
The Bellenden Local team combines years of experience of local and national politics, with members of our team specialising in development, planning and energy. We know that the key to working with any new government (local or national) is to understand its aspirations and assist our clients in conveying clear messaging on what they can deliver.