Changes

In 1965 Smith resigned from the council and was appointed chairman of the newly-formed Northern Economic Planning Council; its aim was to stimulate the northern economy through integrated planning but Smith also used his position to urge the creation of a Northern Assembly and the rationalisation of local government. In the early 1960s he was a member of the Royal Commission which produced the influential Buchanan Report 'Traffic in Towns', and in the late 1960s he sat on the Redcliffe Maud Commission, which drew up a plan for the reform of English local government.

In 1965 Smith resigned from the council and was appointed chairman of the newly-formed Northern Economic Planning Council; its aim was to stimulate the northern economy through integrated planning but Smith also used his position to urge the creation of a Northern Assembly and the rationalisation of local government. In the early 1960s he was a member of the Royal Commission which produced the influential Buchanan Report 'Traffic in Towns', and in the late 1960s he sat on the Redcliffe Maud Commission, which drew up a plan for the reform of English local government.

However, from the early 1960s Smith had also run a string of public relations companies, which benefitted from providing PR and lobbying for building and development companies, notably that of [[John Poulson]]. Poulson built up a

However, from the early 1960s Smith had also run a string of public relations companies, which benefitted from providing PR and lobbying for building and development companies, notably that of [[John Poulson]]. Poulson built up a large architectural practice, specialising in shopping centres, town centre developments and other large projects, by bribing local councillors and officials. Smith, with his wide range of contacts through British local government and the Labour Party, was an ideal go-between and fixeer for Poulson. In 1970 he was tried, but acquitted, for corruption over a housing project in the south [[London]] borough of [[Wandsworth]]; the former council leader was gaoled. When Poulson's company collapsed in 1972, the extent of his corruption was revealed, and he, Smith, and many others were tried and gaoled. Smith was tried in 1974 and received a six year sentence, of which he served a little over half.