Since the formation of the coalition, the work of the department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) has been almost exclusively focused on cuts and devolution. And there’s been just one deadline: as soon as possible. Non-departmental bodies have been among the first casualties, as the department initiates a seismic shift in the way that public services are delivered.
The department quickly abolished the Infrastructure Planning Commission, which had only come into being in March. The body’s powers over strategic energy and transport planning are being moved into the department. Meanwhile, the abolition of regional spatial strategies saw planning for housing move back under local council control.
CLG has also set its sights on regional development agencies, which have been unpopular with the Conservative Party for a long time. The coalition agreement announced a plan to replace them with Local Enterprise Partnerships: groups of local authorities and businesses