Devolution plans will end ‘begging-bowl culture’, Rayner tells leaders in North

Angela Rayner has said her devolution plans will end the “begging-bowl culture” of regional leaders appealing to Whitehall for funds.

The Deputy Prime Minister also told leaders in the north of England that mayors are an “army to take on blockers” to the Government’s plans to boost building.

The Government is re-organising local authorities and bringing in new mayoral powers under its devolution plans.

The Deputy Prime Minister said a newly created “department-style” funding settlement that gave more than £1 billion of flexible funding to the West Midlands and Greater Manchester will be extended to mayors in Liverpool, the North East, and South and West Yorkshire.

“We are ending the begging-bowl culture and giving local leaders flexibility over their spending,” she told the Convention of the North event in Preston.

Ms Rayner, who is also Local Government Secretary, said that putting funding for regeneration in the hands of mayors and moving Homes England to a more regionalised model over time would help in Labour’s bid to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this Parliament.

These measures will form part of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill that aims to cut red tape and get more building plans approved.

“Mayors are at the centre of our plans to build 1.5 million homes, by giving them the powers they need. Mayors are an army to take on the blockers,” Ms Rayner said.

She said the bill, to be introduced to Parliament in the coming weeks, would allow councils without mayors to set strategies together for spatial development.