People Power: Findings from the Commission on the Future of Localism

People Power, a new report detailing the findings of Locality’s Commission on the Future of Localism – for which CLES acted as an expert witness – has been published.

The Commission was established in 2017 to consider how to reinvigorate localism and unlock the power of community. It found that radical action is needed to strengthen local institutions; devolve tangible power resources and control to communities; ensure quality in community participation; and deliver change in local government behaviour and practice to enable local initiatives to thrive.

The Commission identified six key principles that all initiatives to strengthen localism should be subject to:

• People are the goal of localism
• Equality in local participation
• Dynamic local accountability
• Local leadership is built around place
• Localism requires meaningful powers and integrated structures
• Economic power must support community responsibility

Read the full report here.