DOCSLIB.ORG

Shepway Community Compact

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Shepway Community Compact Foreword The council has a proud record of working with local communities to improve the quality of life for people in Shepway. However, it is not always clear for people what services Shepway District Council provides and importantly the statutory framework that we have to operate within. This picture is only going to get more complicated with new legislation, which introduces new community powers and statutory duties for councils. SHEPWAY We are pleased, therefore, to publish for the first time the Shepway Community Compact . This document aims to set out in one place the ‘community rights’ of Town and Parish Councils, local voluntary and COMMUNITY community groups and the general public. It also aims to set out clearly how people can exercise these rights. We hope that you find it a useful guide to working with the council. COMPACT Regards, Councillor Russell Tillson Cabinet Member for Localism APRIL 2013 April 2013 Purpose Code of Practice on Funding and Resources A compact is an agreement which brings together representatives from Aim: To establish good financial relationships between all parties. the public, private, and voluntary and community sectors to encourage closer working and co-operation. Town and Parish Councils Commitments: Voluntary and Community Groups Commitments: The Shepway Community Compact sets out how Town and Parish Councils, local community and voluntary groups and members of the • Check eligibility for funding before applying to SDC or external public can work with Shepway District Council to exercise their bodies and explain clearly what results will be achieved. ‘community rights’ to improve their local communities and promote local democracy. The compact provides a framework for good • Ensure robust governance arrangements are in place for partnership working. managing public money. The Shepway Community Compact will: • Develop appropriate reporting arrangements to meet financial, governance and quality obligations. • Support the continuing development of sustainable communities. • Recognise the limited resources available to Shepway District • Promote greater localism in decision making. Council and work within these constraints. • Raise awareness of community rights and how people can Shepway District Council Commitments: exercise these rights. • Publicise up front what funding/resources are available to • Give local people greater opportunity to decide the future of their support communities in exercising their community rights. communities. • Ensure there is transparency by ensuring there is a clear • Encourage greater partnership working in the interest of local rationale for funding decisions. communities. • Work with local communities to identify and secure external The Shepway Community Compact lists a number of proposed funding where it is available. commitments that reflects good working practice. • Consider a range of council resources that can be made available to support particular initiatives including grants, loans, use of premises and dedicating officer time. Joint Commitments: • Ensure that procedures are used that are consistent with the principles of accounting for public money. • Liaise with public sector partners to highlight service delivery issues that have been raised by community groups. • Explore opportunities to share non-financial resources, such as personnel and property, and to work on innovative solutions to Code of Practice on Consultation and Engagement shared problems. Aim: to provide meaningful opportunities for local communities to Code of Practice on Service Delivery express their views on issues which affect their area. Aim: to help local communities shape the development of public Town and Parish Councils Commitments: services in their area. Voluntary and Community Groups Commitments: Town and Parish Councils Commitments: • Promote and respond to consultations where appropriate. Voluntary and Community Groups Commitments: • Ensure information is disseminated to relevant parties in local • Seek the views of service users, the public and other interested communities. groups when making representations to the council and other public service organisations regarding what services/facilities are • When acting as representatives of a group or community, be required in local communities. responsible for collecting the views of all parties and summarising the information in an accurate and fair manner. • Ensure there all members of the local community are given opportunities to help shape plans for new community services Shepway District Council Commitments: and facilities in their area. • Consult stakeholders on issues that affect their local Shepway District Council Commitments: communities, including changes to services and the future of community facilities and amenities. • Work with Town and Parish Councils, voluntary and community groups and service to shape service delivery in local • To conduct this consultation in line with the principles set out in communities. the council’s Engagement Strategy . • Provide opportunities for local communities to exercise their • Ensure all stakeholders understand who to contact in the council statutory rights with regard to services provided by Shepway to raise an issue, which affects (or might potentially affect) their District Council. local community. • Support local communities who wish to use their statutory powers to challenge the rules which hinder them from improving their local area. Section 1: Planning Services The SDC Assets of Community Value Policy Statement sets out how the council will implement the legislation in the district and provides an Part 1: Assets of Community Value (Community Right to Bid) eight step process (based on Government guidance) that community The Localism Act 2011 introduces a new power for community groups can choose to follow. organisations to purchase assets of community value. An asset of SDC Asset of Community Value Policy Statement [Add hyperlink] community value is defined by legislation but could include community buildings, shops, pubs and open spaces. The legislation is intended to Funding: prevent public or private assets, which are considered to be of A grants programme has been launched to support community community value, from being sold without the local community knowing ownership and management of assets including capital grants for the or having sufficient time to prepare a bid to buy the asset. The scheme purchase of assets. For more information, please visit the My requires a local council to maintain a list of ‘community assets’ and a Community Rights website: separate list of unsuccessful community nominations. Nominations can come from Town and Parish Councils and community groups with a Pre-feasibility, feasibility and capital grants . connection to a local area. Provided the nomination is accepted, local communities will be given time to come up with a bid for the asset if Pre-feasibility grants are for amounts up to £10,000 and are for and when they are sold. The scheme was brought into effect in organisations to build their internal capacity to prepare to take receipt September 2012. of an asset transfer or, else, a bid to buy land and buildings of community value. The process: The DCLG Community Rights website identifies eight steps that a local Feasibility grants can be made available to organisations that community group will need to follow if it wishes to take ownership of an demonstrate they have the potential to meet local needs through the asset. acquisition and management of land and buildings. These grants are mixed capital and revenue for amounts of up to £100,000 and can be • Step 1: Identify an asset. used by organisations to develop investment proposals and carry out • Step 2: Get your group ready to make a bid. feasibility studies equipping them to take ownership of assets through discounted transfer or, else, bid to buy land and buildings of • Step 3: Ask your local authority to list the asset. community value. • Step 4: What happens if the owner decides to sell. • Step 5: Decide if you want to bid. Advice and support: • Step 6: Prepare and submit your bid. The My Community Rights website has published a guide entitled • Step 7: The owner considers your bid. Understanding the Community Right to Bid . Alternatively you can • Step 8: If successful, you take ownership. contact their advice service to access support about acquiring assets of community value Key documents: The Government has produced non-statutory guidance on the For more information: www.gov.uk website. More information on the Community Right to Bid in Shepway is Community Right to Bid available on the council website: [Add hyperlink once page created]. Part 2: Community Right to Reclaim Land Alternatively, please contact the Planning Policy team. The Community Right to Reclaim Land helps communities to improve their local area by giving them the right to ask that under-used or Planning Policy Team unused land owned by public bodies is brought back into beneficial Shepway District Council use. Civic Centre Castle Hill Avenue The Government has made it easier to bring unused public land back Folkestone CT20 2QY into use by regularly publishing information about the land and buildings central government owns on the www.data.gov.uk website [email protected] and by reforming Public Request to Order Disposal process and 01303 853 266 increasing the numbers of organisations covered by it. The process: Anyone can send a request to the Secretary of State for Communities
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Explanatory Memorandum to the Parish Councils
    EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM TO THE PARISH COUNCILS (GENERAL POWER OF COMPETENCE) (PRESCRIBED CONDITIONS) ORDER 2012 2012 No. [XXXX] 1. This explanatory memorandum has been prepared by the Department for Communities and Local Government and is laid before Parliament by Command of Her Majesty. 2. Purpose of the instrument This Order prescribes the conditions that must be met by a parish council in order for it to be eligible to use the general power of competence for local authorities set out in section 1 of the Localism Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”). 3. Matters of special interest to the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments This is the first occasion on which the power conferred by section 8(2) of the 2011Act has been exercised. 4. Legislative Context 4.1 Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the Localism Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”)1 provides local authorities in England with a general power of competence. It gives these authorities the same power to act that an individual has and provides that the power may be used in innovative ways, that is, in doing things that are unlike anything that a local authority has done before or may currently do. Schedule 1 to the 2011 Act amends section 2 of the Local Government Act 2000 (the power to promote well-being) so that it will no longer apply to English local authorities. The effect of this is that, for English local authorities, the power to promote well-being is being replaced by the broader general power of competence. 4.2 Section 8 defines “local authorities” for the purposes of Chapter 1 of the 2011 Act so as to include “eligible” parish councils.
    [Show full text]
  • Devolution: What It Means for Health and Social Care in England
    Devolution: what it means for health and social care in England Devolution of powers and funds from central down to local government has emerged as one of this government’s flagship policies. The notion of devolving health care was not core to the original devolution agenda, which focused on driving local economic growth. The inclusion of health and social care in the so-called ‘Devo Manc’ agreement announced in November last year therefore came as a surprise to many. Along with powers over housing, skills and transport, the landmark deal between the Treasury and Greater Manchester paves the way for the councils and NHS in Greater Manchester to take control of the region’s £6 billion health and social care budget. Ahead of further devolution deals expected to be announced as part of the Spending Review 2015, this briefing describes the origins of the devolution agenda and charts its progress in relation to health and social care. Before drawing some broad conclusions, the penultimate section explores some of the key policy and implementation questions that remain unresolved. Alongside secondary research, this paper is built on insights captured at events held at The King’s Fund as well as a series of conversations with representatives from various national bodies, think tanks and local areas involved in devolution, for which we are immensely grateful. What’s happening and how did we get here? A potted history of devolution and centralisation in England Over the past 150 years, there has been a tendency for UK governments to centralise power. The result is a UK system that is one of the most centralised of all countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); 75 per cent of tax revenues were raised centrally in 2012 (OECD 2014), and in 2014 just under 25 per cent of public expenditure was by local government (OECD 2015).
    [Show full text]
  • NTCA Constitution Appendix: Powers and Functions Conferred on The
    Issue date November 2018 NTCA Constitution Appendix: Powers and Functions conferred on the Authority Appendix: Powers and Functions Conferred on the Authority Page 1 Issue date November 2018 APPENDIX Powers and Functions conferred on the Authority Ref Description of Functions Principal Legislative Provisions Application A. Economic Development and Regeneration The Authority has a general power of competence to be Section 1 of the Localism Act Article 13(1) exercised concurrently with the constituent councils so far as 2011 (a), 2018 those functions are exercisable for the purposes of economic Order. development and regeneration. The general power of competence gives the Authority the same power as an individual generally has. This includes the power to do things that unlike anything that any other public body has done before, or may currently do. There are boundaries on the exercise of the general power, including the definition of “an individual” and statutory restrictions include:- (a) those that apply to existing powers that are overlapped by the general power; (b) any express prohibitions, restrictions and limitations within primary or secondary legislation, to the use of the general Appendix: Powers and Functions Conferred on the Authority Page 2 Issue date November 2018 power (but restrictions in post-commencement legislation will only apply to the general power where they are expressed to do so); (c) that the general power does not give local authorities power to delegate or contract out of their functions, nor to alter governance arrangements; and (d) the limits on doing things for commercial purpose in exercise of the general power. B. Housing and Regeneration Functions Subject to the limitation of the exercise of the functions, the The following provisions of the Article 13, Authority can concurrently exercise with the constituent councils Housing Act 1985 are modified so 2018 Order.
    [Show full text]
  • Review of Community Governance in the Unparished Area of Durham City Carried out by Durham County Council Final Recommendations
    Review of Community Governance in the Unparished Area of Durham City carried out by Durham County Council Final Recommendations (No Parishing Arrangements) On 26 October 2011, the County Council approved terms of reference for the conduct of a Community Governance Review in the area of Durham City. The terms of reference were published on 1 November and included the terms of the petition which had been received from residents requesting the establishment of a town council. Although the petition was not compliant with the legislation the Council decided to undertake the review. On 21 st March 2012, the Council approved Draft Recommendations for a second period of consultation with Durham. This draft can be accessed at www.durham.gov.uk/communitygovernance On 25 July 2012, the Council approved a further consultation of the areas of Aykley Vale, Priory Road and Dryburn Park to request whether the residents of these areas would prefer to be either simply parished, or to join Framwellgate Moor Parish Council. The Review The Council is carried out this review under the Local Government Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (‘the Act’). It was known to the Council that there was a wish in the area by some residents to have the review with a view to establishing parish council arrangements. The review was however delayed whilst the Council was waiting for the Local Government Boundary Commission for England recommendations in relation to electoral arrangements for County Durham, following Local Government Reorganisation in 2009. The review was commenced before final recommendations were published by the Boundary Commission in order to enable the Council to put in place any electoral arrangements for any parish council established by the review in time for the County Council elections on 2 May 2013.
    [Show full text]
  • English Devolution: Learning Lessons from International Models of Sub
    ENGLISH DEVOLUTION LEARNING LESSONS FROM INTERNATIONAL MODELS OF SUB-NATIONAL GOVERNANCE Since 2014, a number of areas This guide provides a summary of that across England have negotiated or research and will be of particular interest to: are in the process of negotiating • councils who will be part of a mayoral ‘devolution deals’ with government combined authority, have an interest in to devolve services and funding understanding how different mayoral to a more local level. models work in practice and how scrutiny, accountability, and decision-making are handled Throughout this time the Government has been clear that its preferred model of • councils who are in the process of devolved governance is one that includes a negotiating or considering a deal with directly elected mayor as a single point of government and want to understand how accountability. other, non-mayoral models of governance might satisfy government’s expressed All of the 'devolution deals’ that have been desire for robust local governance. agreed to date, with the exception of Cornwall, include a commitment to adopt this The full, independent report by Professor model of governance: a mayoral combined Robin Hambleton, which includes a detailed authority. overview of the dynamics of devolution in England and a full account of international However, there remains widespread interest innovations in sub-national governance, is from local councils in learning from how available on the LGA’s DevoNext Hub: others have approached the issue of cross- www.local.gov.uk/devolution boundary governance, both with and without a directly elected mayor. To help build this wider understanding the Local Government Association (LGA) commissioned Professor Robin Hambleton of the University of the West of England to carry out an international review of different models of sub-national governance, assess them according to six principles of good governance and draw out the key points of learning for those faced with strategic choices regarding devolved governance arrangements.
    [Show full text]
  • The Impacts of Mayoral Governance in Bristol
    The Bristol Civic Leadership Project The Impacts of Mayoral Governance in Bristol Robin Hambleton and David Sweeting September 2015 The Bristol Civic Leadership Project The Impacts of Mayoral Governance in Bristol Robin Hambleton and David Sweeting September 2015 Contents List of tables 4 List of figures 5 Executive summary 6 1 Introduction: what this report is about 8 2 Context: the debate about directly elected mayors in the UK 11 3 The Bristol Civic Leadership Project 15 4 Leadership in the community 21 5 Effective representation of the citizen 26 6 Legitimacy and accountability 31 7 Effectiveness in decision-making and implementation 34 8 Effective scrutiny of policy and performance 39 9 Responsiveness to local people 43 10 Strategic choices for urban governance in Bristol in 2025 45 Notes 50 Appendix 1: Survey research methods 51 Appendix 2: Socio-economic geography of Bristol 54 Appendix 3: Citizens’ Panel survey, 2012 and 2014, percent agree, by 56 ward socio-economic category Appendix 4: Civic Leaders’ survey, 2012 and 2014, percent agree, by 59 realm of leadership About the authors 61 Acknowledgements 62 3 List of tables 1 Bristol wards by socio-economic category 17 2 Citizens’ Panel survey, 2012 and 2014, leadership in the community, 21 percent agree 3 Civic Leaders’ survey, 2012 and 2014, leadership in the community, 23 percent agree 4 Citizens’ Panel survey, 2012 and 2014, effective representation of the 26 citizen, percent agree 5 Civic Leaders’ survey, 2012 and 2014, effective representation of the 28 citizen, percent agree,
    [Show full text]
  • The South Tees Development Corporation (Land at the Former Redcar Steel Works, Redcar) Compulsory Purchase Order 2019
    The South Tees Development Corporation (Land at the former Redcar Steel Works, Redcar) Compulsory Purchase Order 2019 Inquiry Commencing: 11 February 2020 Opening Submissions on behalf of the Acquiring Authority Abbreviations 1. The following abbreviations are used in these Opening Submissions: AG, DA, DAM, GG, STDC’s witnesses: Anthony Greally, David Allison, Dan Aylward-Mills, Guy GM, JK, JM, MK Gilfillan, Gary MacDonald, John Knowles, John McNicholas, Michael King. DBEIS Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy CCUS Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage CPO Compulsory Purchase Order CPO Guidance MHCLG’s Guidance on Compulsory purchase process and The Crichel Down Rules (July 2019) [CD/C/3] DP, PR, SMH SSI’s witnesses: Duncan Parr, Peter Roberts, Simon Melhuish-Hancock DPD Development Plan Document ECHR European Convention on Human Rights EIA Environmental Impact Assessment The Heseltine Report The report by Lord Heseltine “Tees Valley Opportunity Unlimited” https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa ds/attachment_data/file/527649/Tees_Valley_Opportunity_Unlimited.pdf commissioned by DBEIS as an independent report and published in June 2016. Highfield Highfield Environmental Limited HRA Habitats Regulations Assessment Master Plan The South Tees Regeneration Master Plan (November 2019) [CD/F/2] Mayor The Mayor of Tees Valley, also Chairman of STDC MDC Mayoral Development Corporation MHCLG Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government NPPF National Planning Policy Framework (February
    [Show full text]
  • Localism Act 2011
    Status: This version of this Act contains provisions that are prospective. Changes to legislation: There are outstanding changes not yet made by the legislation.gov.uk editorial team to Localism Act 2011. Any changes that have already been made by the team appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details) Localism Act 2011 2011 CHAPTER 20 An Act to make provision about the functions and procedures of local and certain other authorities; to make provision about the functions of the Commission for Local Administration in England; to enable the recovery of financial sanctions imposed by the Court of Justice of the European Union on the United Kingdom from local and public authorities; to make provision about local government finance; to make provision about town and country planning, the Community Infrastructure Levy and the authorisation of nationally significant infrastructure projects; to make provision about social and other housing; to make provision about regeneration in London; and for connected purposes. [15th November 2011] BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:— PART 1 LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROSPECTIVE CHAPTER 1 GENERAL POWERS OF AUTHORITIES 1 Local authority's general power of competence (1) A local authority has power to do anything that individuals generally may do. 2 Localism Act 2011 (c. 20) PART 1 – Local Government CHAPTER 1 – General powers of authorities Document Generated: 2012-04-04 Status: This version of this Act contains provisions that are prospective.
    [Show full text]
  • Tees Valley Combined Authority Mayoral Election 6 May 2021
    This document was classified as: OFFICIAL TEES VALLEY COMBINED AUTHORITY MAYORAL ELECTION 6 MAY 2021 INFORMATION PACK FOR CANDIDATES AND AGENTS Contents 1. Submission of Nomination Papers 2. Overview 3. Covid Considerations 4. Contact Details 5. Candidate Addresses 6. Access to Electoral Register and other resources 7. Registration and Absent Voting 8. Agents 9. Spending Limits 10. Canvassing and Political Advertising 11. Verification and Count Overview 12. EC Guidance 13. Publication of Results 14. Declaration of Acceptance of Office 15. Term of Office 16. Briefings Appendix 1 – Contact Details for Council’s within the Tees Valley Appendix 2 – Election Timetable Appendix 3 – Candidate Contact Details Form Appendix 4 – Candidate Checklist Appendix 5 – Nomination Form Appendix 6 – Candidate’s Home Address Form Appendix 7– Consent to nomination Appendix 8 – Certificate of Authorisation (Party candidates only) Appendix 9 – Request for Party Emblem (Party candidates only) Appendix 10 – Notification of election agent Appendix 11 – Notification of sub-agent (optional) Appendix 12 – Candidates Deposits Form Appendix 13 – Notice of withdrawal Appendix 14 – Candidate’s Addresses Appendix 15 – Register Request Form Appendix 16 – Absent Voters Request Form Appendix 17 – Notification of postal voting agents, polling agents and counting agents Appendix 18 – Postal Vote Openings and Times Appendix 19 – Code of Conduct for Campaigners Appendix 20 – Declaration of Secrecy Appendix 21 – Polling Station Lists Appendix 22 – Verification and Count location plans Appendix 23 – Count Procedure and layout Appendix 24 – Thornaby Pavilion car parking Appendix 25 – Feedback Form J Danks Combined Authority Returning Office (CARO) 1 This document was classified as: OFFICIAL 1. Submission of Nomination Papers Candidates/ Agents are encouraged to email scanned nomination forms and supporting papers for informal checking at the earliest opportunity.
    [Show full text]
  • Directly-Elected Mayors
    BRIEFING PAPER Number 05000, 21 May 2021 By Mark Sandford Directly-elected mayors Inside: 1. Elected mayors: legal provisions 2. Referendums and time limits 3. Petitioning for a change in governance arrangements www.parliament.uk/commons-library | intranet.parliament.uk/commons-library | [email protected] | @commonslibrary Number 05000, 21 May 2021 2 Contents Summary 3 1. Elected mayors: legal provisions 4 1.1 Introduction of elected mayors 4 1.2 Legal provisions 5 1.3 Other types of mayor 6 ‘Metro-mayors’ 6 Mayor of London 6 Lord mayors 7 2. Referendums and time limits 8 2.1 The referendums of May 2012 8 2.2 Abolishing local authority mayors 9 3. Petitioning for a change in governance arrangements 10 Appendix 1: List of elected local authority mayors 12 Appendix 2: List of elected metro-mayors 13 Appendix 3: Mayoral referendum results 14 Cover page image copyright: Ranjula by Ron Adams. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 / image cropped. 3 Directly-elected mayors Summary Directly-elected mayors were first introduced by the Local Government Act 2000. A directly elected mayor and a cabinet is one of three different ‘governance arrangements’ or ‘political management arrangements’ available to local authorities: the others are a leader and cabinet, and the traditional ‘committee system’, where decisions are made by policy committees and approved by full council. Elected mayors may be introduced in England and Wales, but not in Scotland or Northern Ireland. Initially, an elected mayor could only be created following a referendum in favour in the relevant local authority. Since 2007, local authorities have also been able to create an elected mayor by resolving to do so.
    [Show full text]
  • The West Midlands Combined Authority (Election of Mayor) Order 2016
    Draft Order laid before Parliament under section 117(2) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, for approval by resolution of each House of Parliament. DRAFT STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS 2016 No. LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ENGLAND The West Midlands Combined Authority (Election of Mayor) Order 2016 Made - - - - Coming into force in accordance with article 1 The Secretary of State makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 107A of, and paragraph 3 of Schedule 5B to, the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009(a). The West Midlands Combined Authority and the councils whose local government areas are within the area of that Combined Authority have consented to the making of this Order(b). A draft of this instrument has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament pursuant to section 117(2) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009. Accordingly, the Secretary of State makes the following Order: Citation and commencement 1. This Order may be cited as the West Midlands Combined Authority (Election of Mayor) Order 2016 and shall come into force on the day after the day on which it is made. Interpretation 2. In this Order— “the area” means the area of the West Midlands Combined Authority(c); (a) 2009 c. 20. Section 107A and Schedule 5B were inserted by section 2 of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 (c. 1). Section 117(2), (2A) and (3) was substituted by section 13 of the Localism Act 2011 (c. 20). Section 117 was amended by paragraph 24 of Schedule 5 to the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016.
    [Show full text]
  • Putting English Devolution in Context: What Is It For?
    Written evidence from Dr Luke Cooper1 (EDE 37) Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee The Evolution of Devolution: English Devolution Putting English devolution in context: what is it for? 1. This evidence statement draws on work undertaken at the London School of Economics as part of the LSE Local Brexit project2 and on-going follow-on research into the impact of UK regional inequalities on the British political landscape.3 Our evidence largely focuses on enquiry questions 1, 2, 4 and 8. Our assessment of the existing Combined Authority structure may also assist the Committee in developing answers to question 5. The Brexit referendum and UK regional inequalities 2. Both the 2016 Brexit vote and the 2019 General Election have brought considerable attention to the geographical diversity of the contemporary United Kingdom. Both the Brexit and Remain votes were wide, diverse coalitions, and the debate on their nature has been subject to tremendous political, as well as scholarly, contestation. But within this context, there is broadly agreement that regional inequalities in England were an important factor in the Remain/Leave divide. The Brexit vote has been described as a ‘revenge of the places that don’t matter’ due to how economically struggling towns and small cities, which have struggled to find a place for themselves in the post-industrial economy,4 rallied to the anti-EU cause.5 While Remain-voting inner city areas often have higher levels of deprivation,6 territorial - as opposed to interpersonal - inequality was an important predictor of the Brexit vote. Importantly, regardless of the Remain/Leave divide, there is now a political consensus on the need to ‘level up’.
    [Show full text]