Localism, mayors and power

It is often said of power that it is not given – it has to be taken. And as Birmingham’s mayoral referendum moves closer, our councillors need to be bold in taking powers that have been held centrally for too long.

To unpack this line of thought, let us assume that Birmingham citizens vote Yes in the referendum. The leaders of the No campaign express their dismay – councillors are doomed, their powers diluted, their constituents even further from the seat of power. Clearly, this is a possible (if unlikely) outcome if the elected Mayor wishes it – but councillors can ensure that it does not happen by devolving more powers and localising more services now.

The Birmingham Fabian Society has been working with Labour councillors on developing the bare bones of its localisation and devolution policy before it is taken out to public consultation. After all, Labour is likely to take control of Birmingham next year, potentially overwhelmingly, and involving the electorate in preparing for that change is wise.

Also, there is no denying that Birmingham needs this. It is the largest local authority in Europe (equivalent in size to nearly four London boroughs), .

Take housing. Birmingham City Council is a mind-bogglingly large provider of social housing, with around 80,000 units managed by the Housing and Constituencies Directorate. “Economies of scale!” I hear you toot. Alas no. Research by the Chartered Institute of Housing indicates that there is no evidence to suggest that large housing providers are more efficient than their smaller competitors. Rather, optimum efficiency is reached at around the 5000-8000 unit mark. Further, a report from Housing Corporation said that smaller housing associations were better at achieving efficiency savings.

Clearly then, the argument that Birmingham City Council is in any way responsive to the needs of tenants and communities, or achieving optimum economies of scale, does not hold water. Localising the housing management and devolving the budgets will lead to better tenant involvement, and a better, more efficient service.

I am confident that Birmingham will vote for a mayor who would rather focus on strategic direction than, say, management of housing stock in Druids Heath, and who genuinely values the role of councillors in empowering local organisations and constituents. If I am right, devolving powers and localising services will prepare the ground for a leader who will help to change Birmingham for the better.

And if I am wrong, the councillors will have their meaningful, devolved powers that exceed what they had before. And unless they vote to give those powers up, there they will stay.