Latest SE 1,000 poll challenge Levelling Up agenda

Tuesday, 21 June, 2022

South East Councils has launched the South East 1,000 biannual regional monitor.

It shows that the majority of members of the public, local businesses and councillors think decisions should be taken by district or borough councils.

SE 1,000 is a comprehensive polling of 1,000 adults undertaken by Savanta ComRes among businesses, councillors and the public, providing a timely index of the interests, concerns and expectations of the communities in the South East.

Highlights from the Spring SE 1,000 report include:

  • The majority (56 percent) of respondents felt that planning and building decisions should be taken by their district or borough council rather than county, regional or national authorities – echoing concerns about loss of powers from lower tier councils through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.
  • Over half of respondents said that they would support central Government transferring more powers over tax and spending to their local area; 80 percent said they would support the transfer of powers to provide access to skills and training; and 77 percent said they would support the transfer of powers to provide affordable housing at a local level.
  • Over a quarter (27 percent) of members of the public polled had heard of the term ‘level up’ but didn’t know what it meant to ‘level up’ illustrating that the Government’s flagship policy is not well understood within communities.
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