Levelling Up plan published with significant devolution pledge

Michael Gove has published the government’s Levelling Up white paper setting out an ambitious blueprint to improve lives and expand opportunities across the whole UK.

Ministers have set 12 new missions to drive real change to people’s lives by spreading opportunity and reversing geographical inequalities, forming the heart of the government’s agenda for the 2020s.

These missions will be cross-government, cross-society efforts and are deemed quantifiable and achievable by 2030.

Amongst the missions are intentions for local public transport connectivity across the country to be significantly closer to the standards of London, with improved services, simpler fares and integrated ticketing. Additionally, the government says that, by 2030, the UK will have nationwide gigabit-capable broadband and 4G coverage, with 5G coverage for the majority of the population.

The paper also sets out plans for the gap in Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) between local areas where it is highest and lowest will have narrowed by 2030, and by 2035 HLE will rise by five years. Although lighter on detail, the plan also says that, by 2030, well-being will have improved in every area of the UK, with the gap between top performing and other areas closing.

Importantly for local government, by 2030, every part of England that wants one will have a devolution deal with powers at or approaching the highest level of devolution and a simplified, long-term funding settlement.

The government his inviting the first nine areas to agree new county deals and seek to agree further MCA deals, extending devolution across England. The first nine areas invited to begin negotiations will be Cornwall, Derbyshire & Derby, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, Durham, Hull & East Yorkshire, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Nottinghamshire & Nottingham, and Suffolk.

The White Paper announces negotiations for a new Mayoral Combined Authority deal for York and North Yorkshire and expanded Mayoral Combined Authority deal for the North East, as well as negotiations for ‘trailblazer’ devolution deals with the West Midlands and Greater Manchester to extend their powers - with these deals acting as blueprints for other Mayoral Combined Authorities to follow.

The missions will be underpinned by a suite of public metrics to track progress and monitor the evolution of spatial disparities. The government will legislate such that it has a statutory duty to publish an annual report updating the public on the progress of these missions, with a new Levelling Up Advisory Council providing further support and constructive analysis.

Other parts of the ‘system change’ include: all policy across Whitehall being aligned with the levelling up agenda and therefore subject to spatial analysis, and a transformation of the government’s approach to data and evaluation - with a new independent body created to improve transparency of local government performance.

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said: “The United Kingdom is an unparalleled success story. We have one of the world’s biggest and most dynamic economies. Ours is the world’s most spoken language. We have produced more Nobel Prize winners than any country other than America.

“But not everyone shares equally in the UK’s success. For decades, too many communities have been overlooked and undervalued. As some areas have flourished, others have been left in a cycle of decline. The UK has been like a jet firing on only one engine.

“Levelling Up and this White Paper is about ending this historic injustice and calling time on the postcode lottery. This will not be an easy task, and it won’t happen overnight, but our 12 new national levelling up missions will drive real change in towns and cities across the UK, so that where you live will no longer determine how far you can go.”