DEFRA has pledged to hand more decision-making responsibility to local authorities and only retain power where it is “absolutely necessary”.

The department published its five-year business plan this week. It said “key policy issues [are no longer] to be determined by democratically unaccountable bodies”, with power heaped on to local authorities.

The plan also revealed there will be more cuts in programme spending than on administration. Programme spending currently accounts for £1.7 billion of DEFRA’s £2.9bn total departmental expenditure allocation, with admin spending at £700m.

However, once the budget is reduced incrementally up to 2014-15, programme spending will be at £1.4bn and admin at £500m. Capital spending is to be reduced from £600m to £400m over the five-year period.

Other commitments include preparing for and managing risk from plant disease and driving a “zero waste” agenda, including goals for first 2014 and then 2020.

DEFRA also provided a shot in the arm to those looking to capitalise on its proposed change in procurement strategies. The department is aiming to introduce new guidance so that departments source sustainable food, subject to no overall increase in costs, meeting British or equivalent standards of production by January and reporting on progress by next June.

It is also set to publish proposals to maximise the transparency of domestic food production by May 2011.

In the report, DEFRA said: “The coalition [government] is committed to a programme of reform that will turn government on its head. We want to bring about a power shift, taking power away from Whitehall and putting it into the hands of people and communities.”

The department has pledged to publish full information on all new DEFRA projects over £500 and details of every item of expenditure costing more than £25,000 online.