The most forward-thinking local leaders and mayors are already delivering pro-growth net zero policies. But the relationship between central and local government is not working as well as it could. The relationship needs reform to unlock the potential of local and regional net zero growth. |
725. While net zero policy has been developing rapidly at both a central and local level, these developments have not always been in lockstep. The result is a landscape that holds back local areas from delivering on their net zero ambitions. As one local stakeholder put it to the Review, "Net Zero achievements at local government level are in spite of government, not because of it".526
726. Now that our national pathway to net zero has been established, we need a new relationship between central and local government to enable effective local delivery. Local authorities will be a key delivery partner, whatever the specifics of the strategy we take on decarbonisation and growth. The sooner we address this, the sooner we will see the economic and social benefits of a more place-based approach.
727. The importance of this relationship to our net zero pathway cannot be overstated. 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions reductions needed to deliver the Net Zero Strategy rely on local authority involvement, while 82% of emissions are within local authorities' scope of influence.527
728. We need to allow places to tailor their net zero approach to their own strengths and needs, informed by the kind of extensive local engagement that central government cannot undertake. We also need to increase local accountability and responsibility for certain aspects of net zero delivery.
729. To do so, we need a reformed relationship between central and local government and a planning system that is fully aligned with net zero.
Mission: Create a Net Zero Local Big Bang. Reforming the relationship between central and local government on net zero will empower local authorities to deliver place-based, place-sensitive action and unlock the high levels of local net zero ambition that we have across the UK. Unblocking the planning system and aligning it more closely with net zero will enable widespread pro-growth, net zero development. | |
Issue heard by the Review | Action recommended |
No clear framework on local net zero action, and no statutory duty. Guidance on some areas but not others. Lack of clarity over the local role, which can prevent action and/or lead to unnecessary bureaucracy between central and local government. Some partnership working. Responsible officers within local authorities sometimes unable to drive internal action due to deprioritisation. | Government should introduce a statutory duty for local authorities to take account of the UK's net zero targets, based on a clear framework of local roles and responsibilities. |
Complicated net zero funding landscape. Numerous funding pots with different application criteria and restrictions. Actively discourages systems thinking and join-up. Resource intensive funding application processes. Competitions in which smaller authorities struggle. Short-term funding and delays in transfer of funds leads to inefficiency and inability to spend the funds provided. | Central government should simplify the net zero funding landscape for all local authorities by the next Spending Review. This should include consolidating different funding pots, reducing competitive bidding processes, giving longer lead-in times where bidding remains and providing funding over the medium- rather than the short-term. |
Inconsistent local mission and target setting. Most local authorities have a high-level net zero target date. Underpinning plans vary significantly in terms of detail and development. | Government should establish local net zero missions in 2023 for a number of key policy areas to encourage places to go further and faster. |
Some devolution of appropriate net zero powers. Varying degrees between nations and regions. Lack of framework and clarity over roles and responsibilities leads to confusion over exact nature of powers. | Government should fully back at least one Trailblazer Net Zero city, local authority and community, with the aim for these places to reach net zero by 2030. |
Some capacity and capability support; inconsistent monitoring, reporting, and sharing of data. Significant variation between tiers and sizes of local authority. Short-term funding prevents long-term capacity and capability planning. Expensive consultancy often used to fill knowledge gaps, with some coordination between areas to improve costs. Lack of standard monitoring and reporting presents barriers to progress, including on accountability. Some sharing of best practice. | Central government should provide guidance, reporting mechanisms, and additional capacity and capability support to enable local authorities to better monitor and report their net zero progress. |
Planning system presents major barrier to net zero action. View of system on net zero is unclear and does not give sufficient weight to net zero as a national priority. Often slow and difficult to navigate, especially for individuals and communities. | Central government should reform the local planning system and the NPPF now. Have a clearer vision on net zero with the intention to introduce a net zero test, give clarity on when local areas can exceed national standards, give guidance on LAEP, encourage greater use of spatial planning and the creation of Net Zero Neighbourhood plans, and set out a framework for community benefits. Government should undertake a rapid review of the bottlenecks for net zero and energy efficiency projects in the planning system, and ensure that local planning authorities are properly resourced to deliver faster turnaround times |