Whitehall focuses on local growth

Speaking in his Sheffield constituency, the Deputy Prime Minister will announce the formation of a “local growth committee” of Cabinet Ministers to push forward devolution and regional economic development.

The committee will meet on an ad-hoc basis, with Mr Clegg as its chair. Other members will include Chancellor George Osborne, Business Secretary Vince Cable, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

The formation of the committee follows a recommendation by Lord Heseltine in his report on regional growth last year that Government departments need to work far more closely together to help local areas grow.

Mr Clegg will say: “What I’ve realised is that if you want to give more power back locally, you’ve also got to change what happens at the centre.

“We need to break down the silos that exist in Whitehall, with the right hand not talking to the left hand.

“That’s why I’m a chairing a new committee, working with the Chancellor, that will knock down these walls and bring all these departments together. So that where there’s an opportunity locally, you can rely on us centrally to deliver what we’ve promised.”