event -Local Government in a Devolved UK (John Vincent)

event -Local Government in a Devolved UK

February 7, 2010 11:56 AM
Originally published by Liberal Democrat European Group (LDEG)

The Federal Trust is organising a seminar on the 25th February 2010 entitled 'Local Government in a Devolved UK' at 31 Jewry Street, 3.30 for 4.00pm until 7.00pm, followed by a drinks reception. Since 2001, the Federal Trust has been monitoring the process and progress of devolution. In November last year they published Dr Andrew Blick's essay Devolution and regional administration: A federal UK in embryo? At the launch seminar a major discussion point was the currently asymmetrical nature of devolution in the UK.

London apart, there are no devolved regional authorities in England. Local authorities are, and are likely to remain for the foreseeable future, the only operating tier of governance in England below Westminster. It seems appropriate therefore to look at the role, purpose, structure and finance of local government. Should local authorities be no more than an agent for Westminster/Whitehall? Or might a codified British constitution offer a new basis?

The programme for the seminar will be as follows:

4.00pm Introduction by Professor Stanley Henig, Senior Research Fellow, Federal Trust

4.30 - 5.30 pm Professor George Jones, Emeritus Professor of Government, London School of Economics, Local governance for the twenty-first century followed by discussion.

5.30 - 6.00 pm Tea

6.00 - 7.00pm Dr Andrew Blick, Federal Trust, Alternative models for English devolution - the concept of City regions followed by general discussion

7.00 pm Drinks reception

In this general election year there is considerable interest in broad constitutional issues and in developing new models for governmental institutions in the twenty-first century. In England this has specific relevance for local government.

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