LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Councillor Karen Quinn on the role of councils in Levelling Up

AFTER AN EARLY CAREER IN THE CITY OF LONDON KAREN TOOK AN EXTENDED BREAK FROM THE WORKPLACE TO BRING UP HER CHILDREN AND DO A VARIETY OF VOLUNTEERING ROLES. GOING BACK TO WORK AS A RETURNEE MUM, KAREN NOW WORKS ON THE LEVELLING UP AGENDA AND WAS ELECTED IN 2017 TO REPRESENT A RURAL WARD ON NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Q// What role can Local Councils play in Levelling Up?

A// It seems to me that Councils are quite uniquely placed in that they need to have an input into every single one of the 14 Levelling Up goals. Whereas usually, quite rightly, an organisation might focus on two or three of the goals, Councils have a responsibility for such a wide range of issues that they can really make an impact on them all. From infrastructure and housing to the digital divide and extending enterprise, every single one of the goals is important to Local Authorities and they are well placed to tackle each of them. Councils should use the levelling up goals as an architecture to reassess their focus and ensure that the work they’re doing is having the best possible impact on their communities.

Q// The Levelling Up Goals are set out as a framework for businesses, how can they be adapted to a local authority context? A// I think that the beauty of the Levelling Up Goals is their simplicity. The architecture of the Goals can be used by anyone - and their simplicity is what makes them so effective. Looking at the impact that Local Authorities are having on each of the 14 goals should be no more difficult than it would be for businesses or any other organisation, private or public.

Q// Which of the goals do you think Local Authorities can have the biggest impact on?

A// I think that Local Authorities can have an impact on every single one but in particular building homes and sustainable communities is fundamental. Good health and well-being is another Goal that Councils can, and indeed already do, lots of great work on, particularly from a community based approach. Similarly the work that Local Authorities do to impact on the early years goal is crucial. I know from my own experience as a Mum how vital the early years are and the provisions that Local Authorities put in place can be fundamental in improving the life chances of a whole generation.

Q// You are from a rural authority, what are the different challenges faced there compared to our towns and cities? Is Levelling up as relevant to rural areas?

A// Levelling up is absolutely as relevant to a rural area as it is to cities. One of the beauties of Northumberland, the County that I’m from, is the fact that it is very remote, sparsely populated and rural, but that brings its own challenges in terms of connectivity, infrastructure and the digital divide. I think that in my county people often feel detached from opportunity - it can take between two and three hours by public transport to get from some areas of the county into the city where the

universities, colleges and most of the opportunities are. Northumberland has a strong agricultural economy which means it faces some of the same difficulties as the South West of England, particularly around opportunities and aspirations. I’ve heard it said that you can’t be what you can’t see, and in a rural area like Northumberland opportunities in new creative and digital industries are few and far between. If we are going to truly level up these opportunities need to come to areas like mine. I think the challenge is different in a rural area but very much still there, and if anything being rural makes levelling up even more relevant. Q// What does levelling up mean to you?

A// I’m really passionate that Levelling Up doesn’t just apply to young people, it applies to people at all stages of their life. Levelling up applies to cities just as much as it does to rural areas, to communities in the north just as much as those in the south. Each area has its own levelling up problems but by focusing on the challenges identified by the Levelling Up goals Local Authorities can really make a meaningful impact in their area.