So, Blackdown House could be a super-white elephant … worth less than Knowle, even at the Knowle’s knock-down price!
“Local areas could get more powers and cash from central government – but face government pressure to adopt unitary models, following this week’s Conservative Party conference.
Speaking this week at the conference in Manchester, chancellor Sajid Javid announced that the government was rebooting its devolution drive, promising a new white paper on the issue.
He said the move would give “more local areas more local powers to drive investments in the infrastructure and services they know they need”.
The English devolution white paper will set out how further powers and funding would be devolved across England, the Treasury said in a statement.
Director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, Henri Murison, welcomed the announcement, “particularly if it extends to taking more control of existing local spending from Whitehall, as well as retaining taxes raised locally and allowing areas to capture the additional revenues their investments generate.”
He said that passing investment directly to mayors and combined authorities was the best way of funding local transport services. …”
Devolution white paper announcement accompanied by hint on unitary push
East Devon Watch 