Transcript Slide 1
Better Homes:
The Localist Solution
Sir Bob Kerslake
Kent Housing Forum
Permanent Secretary
Department for Communities and Local Government
Tuesday 17 May 2011
Making localism a reality
•
Localism so far
•
How we are making it happen
•
The housing challenge
•
How DCLG is organised to support localism
•
Conclusions
Localism, Localism, Localism
• “A massive power shift is going on here. Localism is
no longer a dirty word – it's the only show in town.”
• “In a relatively short period, councils will be almost
unrecognisable from today. Much stronger, more
dynamic, more powerful. With political autonomy
and financial independence. And with a much more
direct, responsive, relationship to residents.”
• “Through localism, we are putting power,
responsibility and accountability back in the hands
of people who know what they are doing.”
Eric Pickles MP
Terminology…
Is the ethos…
Localism
Doing everything at the lowest possible level
and only involving central government if
absolutely necessary
Is the process…
Decentralisation
Giving away power to individuals,
professionals, communities and local
institutions
Is the vision…
Big Society
A society where people, neighbourhoods
and communities have more power and
responsibility and use it to create better
services and outcomes.
The six essential actions for
decentralisation
Big
Government
Big
Society
Exemplifying the six actions
General
power of
competence
Community
right to buy
Council tax
referendums
Community
Infrastructure
Levy
Right to
challenge
Community
right to buy
Local
government
pay
accountability
Neighbourhood plans
Abolish
Regional
Strategies
Abolish
Standards
Board regime
Local
referendums
Elected
mayors
The Housing Challenge
• Levels of supply are still around
half of what they were prior to
the downturn
• Problems accessing mortgages
• Housing affordability for first
time buyers
• Funding of enabling
infrastructure
• Access to land and planning
permission in high demand
areas
• Implementation of the new
Affordable Rent model
Localism Bill
– planning and housing
• Abolition of Regional Strategies
– away from top down targets
• Introduction of neighbourhood
plans
• Community right to build
• Reformed community
infrastructure levy
• Duty to co-operate
• Social housing reforms
Growth Review –
Land disposal, planning reforms
• Build Now Pay Later – HCA
announced first sites where
housebuilders pay for the land after
they have started work on the new
homes
• Pilot land auctions, and removing
national target on previously
developed land
• Planning reform – Presumption in
Favour of Sustainable Development,
reforming National Planning Policy
Framework
• Clearer role for business: Neighbourhood Plans (in the Bill) and
Neighbourhood Development Orders
Budget announcements –
Homes and property
• FirstBuy – £210m to support first time
buyers & maintain capacity in housebuilding industry
• Will assist 10,000 households
with equity investments
• Jointly funded with housebuilders
• Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI)
scheme – extended temporary
changes to SMI for a further year
• Reform Stamp Duty on bulk
purchases – reduce barrier to
investment in residential property
• Real Estate Investment Trusts – easier to set up and more
accessible to investors to encourage investment in PRS
The local growth challenge
“Localities are best placed to understand drivers and barriers to local growth localities should lead their own development to release their economic potential.”
Local Growth White Paper
• Localities are key to driving economic
growth – all sectors working together
• Local Enterprise Partnerships reflect
natural economic geographies – 31
LEPs covering over 87% of England’s
population, 1.8m businesses, 20m
employees
• Resource review will give incentive for
growth and enable local authorities to
be more self-sufficient
The Kent picture
• Kent County Council largest non-metropolitan local authority
in England – resident population 1.4m and growing
• Kent and Medway – area of economic growth
• North Kent districts (Dartford, Gravesham & Swale) working
with Medway unitary to deliver jobs and housing in Thames
Gateway
• Kent, Greater Essex, East Sussex LEP – estimated
population of 3.9m, employing 1.5m people
• Ashford growth area – ambitious growth plan
Kent Forum have developed a clear Housing Strategy linked
to growth
Future role and shape of DCLG
• Drive the transfer of power and funding away from
Whitehall to people and communities: localism,
decentralisation and the Big Society
• Create – through its core policy responsibilities –
the conditions which re-energise and empower
individuals and communities to build successful
neighbourhoods
• Smaller, stronger, more strategic
Conclusion
• Government’s housing and localism plans go hand
in hand
• The new model creates positive incentives for local
authorities to drive growth
• The key to success – a strong strategy and effective
collaboration