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<p>Since 2010, the Coalition Government has made a series of reforms which have decentralised
power down to local government and down to local communities below it.</p><p> </p><p>This
has included strengthening the governance structures in London at a variety of levels:
by devolving power and funding over housing, economic development and the Olympic
legacy to the Mayor and Assembly through the Localism Act 2011; by abolishing unelected
bodies such as the Government Office for London and London Development Agency; supporting
the creation of a London-wide economic partnership; and delivering a broader set of
reforms to local government transparency, accountability, housing finance and local
government finance which the London Boroughs in particular have benefited from.</p><p>
</p><p>The London Enterprise Panel was established by the Mayor in 2012 in response
to the Government’s invitation to areas to form Local Enterprise Partnerships. It
provides a forum which enables the Mayor, London Boroughs and the private sector to
work together to take a strategic view of regeneration, employment and skills in the
capital. The Panel has successfully negotiated a growth deal which includes delivering
£120 million of investment in London’s Further Education colleges and work to develop
new ways to help those furthest from the labour market into work.</p><p> </p><p>As
set out in the Government response to the Communities and Local Government Select
Committee Report: <em>Post-Legislative Scrutiny of the Greater London Authority Act
2007 and the London Assembly</em> (Cm 8761), the Government believes there is scope
for governance reform in the relation to the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.</p><p>
</p><p>Ministers have serious concerns about the governance in the London Borough
of Tower Hamlets following an independent inspection report, and are consulting the
council on the report and a proposed package of interventions as outlined in the Oral
Statement of 4 November 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, House of Commons, Column 663.</p><p>
</p><p>The Coalition Government considers that power should be devolved to the lowest
appropriate level including to communities and individuals. For instance, we have
introduced powers for local communities in London to establish neighbourhood forums
to take forward neighbourhood planning and introduced a range of ‘community rights’
such as the Community Right to Challenge and the Community Right to Bid for Assets
of Community Value.</p><p> </p><p>Parish councils can also provide communities with
a democratically accountable voice and a structure for taking community action. London
saw its first parish council in decades have its first elections in May 2014, in Queens
Park, Westminster. A number of other local communities in London are now campaigning
for parish councils to be set up. The Government is also making it easier to set up
new town and parish councils where they do not currently exist and is seeking to amend
legislation to do so.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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