WIREDGOV

Cllr David Renard, Local Government Association planning spokesman, responded to a report by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee calling for better co-ordination of local infrastructure projects which are responsive to local need 

“The Committee is absolutely right to say the Government’s infrastructure projects need to be more responsive to local need, with local support and local input.

“To do this the Government should engage with councils on projects at the earliest stage, to ensure the voice of local communities is heard.

“Our own recent polling found that 71 per cent of residents trust their council and three quarters are satisfied with the way their local council runs things in their area. This emphasises how important it is that councils and the communities they represent have a say on how their local areas develop, as we recover from the COVID-19 crisis.

“This is also why it is absolutely critical that we need to maintain a planning system that is locally-led and democratically accountable.”

Report: Delivering the Government’s infrastruture commitments through major projects