Policymakers must stick with the levelling up agenda, argues new research from cross-party think tank, Demos, and professional services firm, KPMG.
The report, titled Movers and Stayers, explores the attitudes of residents in Blyth and Mansfield in relation to the government’s levelling up agenda; specifically, its ambition for people to be able to stay in the place they were born to live the life they want, without having to relocate in search of better prospects.
The report found that among those who opted to leave their towns, very little could be done to persuade them to stay. Among those who chose to stay, it found support for levelling up policies, and a strong desire for the entire process to be made more democratic, with greater decision-making power being put into the hands of the people.
Movers and Stayers therefore calls on the government to focus on improving the lives of those who choose to remain in their native towns and capitalise on their enthusiasm by sticking with levelling up and giving residents a voice on local investment decisions.
Dr Kate Harrison, Lead Researcher at Demos and co-author of Movers and Stayers, said: “There is a golden opportunity to really democratise what levelling up is all about, putting power into the hands of the people and giving them what they need to thrive. We cannot allow current political events to sabotage the progress that’s starting to be made.
“Not only did we find real support for levelling up, there is a palpable desire among people to be actively involved in the work that’s required. They understand exactly what their communities need, yet for too long they have been forced to watch from the sidelines as bad local policies have been phoned in from London with next to no local engagement.
“By giving local residents a seat at the table, the government can tap into a wealth of knowledge and ideas. More importantly still, by involving residents in the decision-making process, they are far more likely to be invested in its success. This will help legitimise the policies that levelling up will depend on.”
Much of the respondents’ desire to be more involved in the political process comes from deep frustration with historical decisions, where investment has been made in projects that have not met the needs of the local areas.
In light of residents’ feedback, Movers and Stayers calls on the government to introduce a participatory approach which would capitalise on peoples’ enthusiasm and bolster local engagement.
Examples of participatory policymaking include conducting citizens assemblies where decisions are taken on contentious topics, priority-setting exercises to determine where development budgets should be spent and engaging with people to generate ideas for new projects. This would mark a significant departure from the government’s top-down approach, which has sometimes seen decisions made by central government lacking engagement with local communities.
Crucially, the report argues that this level of public engagement would go far beyond early stage consultation and would ensure residents - particularly those with lived experience - are actively part of the process of generating and delivering new policies.
Chris Hearld, Head of Regions at KPMG, said: “Any strategy seeking to make ‘Stay local, go far’ a reality needs to embrace true devolution alongside a participatory approach. People who choose to stay in our country’s many and varied towns must benefit from prospects that are enhanced through empowered decision making on their doorstep.
“Stronger, bespoke links between education, skills and careers is critical and is an area that highlights the potential for further devolution to make a real difference. Our report calls for devolution powers that go beyond those promised in the Levelling Up White Paper, including the devolving of skills and careers advice to Combined Authorities, which should cover the whole country. It is by providing regionally tailored careers advice, further education, and skills provision - including apprenticeships - that local government can help to ensure people within their community are well equipped to contribute to the growth of new industries in their area, such as green energy in Blyth.
“There’s no doubt that devolution is front and centre when it comes to making the most of the economic boosts offered to our towns.”
