A new independent Commission on the Future of Localism has launched, aiming to uncover what is needed to reinvigorate local democracy and empower communities.

The commission has been launched by community organisation network Locality and Power to Change, an independent trust that seeks to grow community business across England.

Chaired by Local Government Association president and former Civil Service head Lord Kerslake, the commission brings together community leaders and policy experts together with politicians including Labour MP Lisa Nandy, former Conservative MP Laura Sandys, and Stevenage Borough Council leader Sharon Taylor.

The commission will review the current opportunities of the localism agenda amidst English devolution, making recommendations on the powers, rights and resources required to bring about a renaissance in neighbourhood governance.

Lord Kerslake said that although successive policy initiatives have sought to decentralise power from Westminster to communities, this has not yet meant all communities have a meaningful stake in the decisions that affect them.

“As we hear evidence in events across the country, I’m looking forward to hearing the ideas and case studies we uncover. There must be no return to Whitehall knows best; we need local people in the driving seat of their own neighbourhoods.”

Locality chief executive Tony Armstrong said English devolution is not going far enough to empower communities and reshape services.

“The EU referendum showed an urgent need to look at the way power is dispersed within this country, and to unlock capacity within neighbourhoods to build better places from the ground up.”

Power to Change chief executive Vidhya Alakeson said the charity is delighted to support the commission.

“This is such an important venture,” Alakeson said. “We firmly believe that more power should be devolved to communities, so that local people can take the lead in designing and running their own affairs.”

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