All Party Parliament Group for District Councils Inquiry: Collaboration and Devolution
Call for evidence
The APPG for District Councils invites submissions of written evidence to its inquiry into collaboration and devolution.
In 2017, we will be holding four, formal oral evidence sessions and we will be inviting representatives from some of the authorities that have submitted written evidence to participate. The Group will publish a report at the end of the inquiry that will contain recommendations to the Government. This report will be formally launched at an APPG for District Councils parliamentary reception.
Submissions should focus on the following issues:
- Models and patterns of collaboration with other councils
Evidence of collaboration or joint-working that your authority is currently involved in. We are interested in learning about which authorities you are working with in this collaboration, what the driving factor behind this collaboration is and what results this collaboration is achieving. We are particularly interested in examples of district clustering.
Evidence of innovative and agile approaches to placed-based public service reform.
Your authority’s views on the abilities of councils to collaborate across Functional Economic Areas, and what steps you believe are required to improve this further. - Models and patterns of collaboration with other local organisations
Evidence of collaboration with other local agencies and organisations, such as Local Economic Partnerships and Clinical Commissioning Groups. We are seeking to understand how this form of collaboration is improving outcomes and efficiencies in the locality.
We encourage comments on the political and public barriers and support your authority has faced with regards to these new ways of working. - The district role in devolution
Your authority’s views on the potential for districts to access new powers, responsibilities and incomes from devolution.
Evidence of steps your authority is taking to promote the role that ‘double devolution’ and subsidiarity can play in local delivery as the most appropriate scale and level for communities.
The Committee would be grateful to receive written submissions by 19 December 2016.
Please keep submissions to no longer than 2,000 words, however we welcome detailed examples of practice included as an appendix.
The Group is being supported in this inquiry by the District Councils’ Network and the Local Governance Research Unit at De Montfort University. Submissions should therefore be sent to dcn@local.gov.uk copying in ccopus@dmu.ac.uk.
If you have any further questions about the APPG, please see this webpage or email dcn@local.gov.uk.