Local authorities must not wait for central government legislation before implementing Total Place, the scheme’s architect has said.

Speaking at an event for cabinet members of local authorities in London today, Michael Bichard (pictured) urged council leaders to “maintain the momentum” of Total Place in order to “convince the new government this can not be let go”.

In the Budget in March, the Labour government launched the second phase of Total Place, saying public bodies could sell up to £35bn of property through taking a more joined up approach to their assets. Speakers at today’s conference confirmed this work is continuing.

Bichard said councils should not wait for the new coalition to back the initiative before they implement its thinking. He said: “I don’t think Total Place as a brand will survive. But in a way, that misses the point. It’s a way of working.”

Bichard welcomed the new coalition’s promise to devolve more power to local authorities, saying: “We have one of the most centralised governments in the world.”

However, he warned that decentralising without breaking down the barriers between different funding streams and departments, such as health, police, and councils, would make matters worse.

“There is now a minister for decentralisation, which is a good thing,” he said. “But if we devolve power through silos of government spending, we could make get the worst of both worlds, by giving more power to small public bodies that are not joined up and conflict.

“Can we justify not sharing back-office resources – sharing property and IT? There is real money to be saved there.”

David Parsons, leader of Leicestershire County Council and chair of the Local Government Association’s Improvement Board, called on the new chief secretary to the Treasury, David Laws, to follow his predecessor’s lead in backing Total Place.

He said: “Liam Byrne really pushed Total Place. We need to get to David Laws because he needs to take up that cudgel and push this through.”

• A-Z of government efficiency scheme Total Place
• CBI pledges support for property cuts by coalition
• Budget 2010: Total Place
• Councils to cosy up under Total Place
• Kent could save £280m from Total Place