Community-led devolution is surely synonymous with place-based governance. This New Local research offers thoughtful analysis of the challenges facing the UK’s further education and skills sector that will resonate with many engaged with the process of integrating health and social care across England.
Some in the health and care sectors might be able to relate to this rather scathing summary of the problem from the report: “Shaped by pernicious state and market paradigms, English devolution is too piecemeal and miserly in the powers and resources on offer; too obsessed with governance, institutions and reorganisation than local power and outcomes; too dominated by transactional deal-making than the forging of new centre local relationships; and too slow and bureaucratic to hold the interest of devolution’s proclaimed beneficiaries – local communities.”
What lessons can we learn from the way devolution has been handled across the UK? And do we have insights to share with those in the further education and skills sector?