The government has now set out an ambitious programme for public services, including greater devolution for Scotland, the extension of the right to buy to housing association tenants, a counter-extremism bill to tackle radicalisation, a ban on new psychoactive substances, or legal highs, and a reform of strike laws that will require a higher turnout of union members.
The legislation (pdf) will form a framework for what will be a challenging five years for all public services. We talked to leaders across public services about the challenges – and opportunities – that lie ahead.
City devolution
Devolution of power from Whitehall to cities is a key project for this government and the chancellor George Osborne. Mark Rogers, chief executive of Birmingham city council, says that while media coverage of the Queen’s speech was predictablyand disappointingly dominated by the three perceived big issues, Scottish devolution, the EU referendum and the debate over the Human Rights Act, the real gamechanger lies elsewhere. “Tucked away, however, is the legislative treat that will really change people’s lives for the better across the country – the cities and local government devolution bill,” says Rogers, who urges local areas to go “hell for leather” in liberating cities and city regions from what he calls the inertia of central government diktat.
David Sparks, chair of the Local Government Association, agrees that the bill great news for larger cities but says it’s vital that the benefits of devolution reach all corners of England. “With non-metropolitan England responsible for 56% of economic output the case for wider devolution is clear.”
Not surprisingly, Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive of Manchester city council, welcomes legislation enabling increased devolution to Greater Manchester and other areas. “We will be continuing to press the case for greater fiscal devolution to support our growth ambitions and increase the ability of the area to become financially self-sustaining.”
Jonathan Carr-West, chief executive of the Local Government Information Unit, welcomes the prominence of city devolution as an important step towards rebalancing the UK economy and creating better local services, but warns that the bill sets out devolution to a fairly rigid template. “We must hope that central government does not create a bureaucratic logjam in Whitehall, but allows places to come forward with truly local deals that work for them,” he says.
Constitutional challenge and scrutiny
Gillian Fawcett, head of public sector at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, says devolving greater power to cities and local government will pose new challenges for vital public services such as social care. She says effective structures will be needed to manage more devolved budgets and hold cities – and their mayors – to account. “Wider reform is needed to provide a coherent system of accountability,” she comments.
Like Fawcett, Jacqui McKinlay, executive director of the Centre for Public Scrutiny, says the cities bill must incorporate scrutiny and accountability, but welcomes the fact that decision-making is being moved closer to those who know their communities best.
Peter Riddell, director of the Institute for Government thinktank, expresses concern about the potential constitutional challenges posed by the government’s four proposed devolution bills. “There is not going to be one solution for the whole of the UK, but the changes need to be coherent and consistent,” he says. Turning the government’s ambitious police commitments into action will be a challenge, according to Riddell. “The government must focus on better delivery, building a strong evidence base, while improving its management information and financial data as necessary, producing robust policy before writing legislation, and consulting with frontline service users and providers,” he says. “Too often in the past, grand promises have led to disappointment through an inadequate link between policymaking and implementation.”
‘Narrow agenda’
While many leaders welcome some of the measures in the speech, others are clear about the impact. “Combined with the acceleration of public spending cuts expected in the July budget, this government is setting out a programme about which Margaret Thatcher could have only fantasised,” says Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS). “This is the narrow agenda you would expect from a majority government backed by just 24% of the electorate – and emphasises the case for proportional representation.” The PCS, says Serwotka, will work with other unions and social movements to resist cuts, privatisation and attacks on people’s rights.
Others were disappointed, too. Ella Simpson, director of Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council, says the government has failed to address the growing issue of people in work being also in poverty. “I cannot get my head around the supposed logic of wages being so low that people have to claim in work benefits – which come from the tax system.I am also concerned that the proposal to withdraw housing benefit from young people will result in an increase in youth homelessness.”
Gavin Smart, deputy chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, agrees that the government’s programme will not help tackle the growing housing crisis. “Extending right to buy to housing associations is not going to tackle the housing crisis – in fact it could make things worse for people on lower incomes who are already struggling to access a decent home at a price they can afford,” he says.
Smart continues: “In practice, it would result in the loss of vital social and affordable homes. The government says each home sold would be replaced on a one-for-one basis – but we know this is not happening under the current scheme.”
Community safety
Chief constable Sara Thornton, chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, says police chiefs welcome legislation to help people experiencing mental health issues and moves to ensure colleagues in other public services work with the police in tackling child abuse. “While we still believe in the need for flexibility in administering pre-charge bail, we are also committed to ensuring that our working practices are as efficient as possible and that no one is on bail any longer than they need to be.” Police chiefs, more controversially, are also in favour of the government’s commitment to greater use of communications data – the so-called snooper’s charter.
Katy Bourne, Sussex police and crime commissioner, agrees with Thornton that plans to provide alternative places of safety for people with mental health issues are essential. “Police cells are no place for people in mental health crisis,” she says. Bourne also believes work on improving policing standards is vital. “Along with other PCCs and fellow directors on the board of the College of Policing, I will be supporting further work that helps police forces to embed the college’s code of ethics and increase public accountability,” she says.
Stephen O’Connell, president of the Prison Governors’ Association, says prison leaders welcome the plan to ban new psychoactive substances, which are having an impact on a number of prisons. “These drugs are difficult to detect, although not impossible, so they are a challenge for prisons, and for governors managing them,” he says.
So far, the government has outlined its legislative framework; on 8 July the chancellor will reveal the full impact of departmental and welfare spending cuts.
Talk to us on Twitter via @Guardianpublic and sign up for your free weekly Guardian Public Leaders newsletter with news and analysis sent direct to you every Thursday.
