Transcript EMACHS East Midlands Association of Civic and Heritage

Bolingbroke Parish Council
THE LOCALISM BILL
Key Proposals
Summarised
By
Steve Lumb
The Government’s Vision
Based on - Freedom, Fairness & Responsibility
• Fundamental change in the relationship between the
citizen and the state
• Individuals and communities have more power and
responsibility
• Freedom from top-down controls
• Extending transparency to every area of public life
Localism Bill
Introduced to Parliament on 13th December 2010
But no real affect until after April 2012
“This Government trusts people to take charge of their lives and we
will push power downward and outwards to the lowest level,
including individuals, neighbourhoods, professionals & communities
as well as local Councils and other local institutions”
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Lift the burden of bureaucracy
Empower communities to do things their way
Inrease local control of public finances
Diversify the supply of public services
Strengthen accountability to local people
Large Bill – 2 Volumes – 431 Pages
– 207 Sections in 8 Parts & 24
Schedules
Regional Strategies to be revoked
• No housing targets and requirements set
centrally or regionally
• Local Councils and communities to determine
• Incentives for Councils to allow houses
Satisfy national housing needs?
Neighbourhood Development Plans
• Any ‘qualifying body’ (Parish Council? Civic
Society?) can begin a process for requiring a
Council to make a Neighbourhood Plan
• Needs more than 50% of those who vote in a
referendum to want one
• Provisions for Councils to be paid expenses for
making Plans
• Examined Independently – another referendum?
Neighbourhood Development
Orders
• A Parish Council or a ‘neighbourhood forum’
(individuals living or wanting to live in an area
and three members already living in the area)
can initiate a process of requiring a Council to
make an Order
• An Order grants planning permission in relation
to a neighbourhood area – for a specific
development or use – development without pp
• Council must make the Order if more than 50%
voting in a referendum say ‘yes’. Then another
referendum on approval?
Community Right to Build Orders
• Is a particular type of Neighbourhood
Development Order
• Related to a proposal by a specific
community group
• Grants permission for a specified
development on a specified site
Consultation
• Prospective developers MUST consult
local communities in advance of a
planning application
• Must then have regard to comments
Enforcement
• Flyposting
• Retrospective applications when
enforcement notice served
• Ability for Council’s to double fees for
retrospective planning applications
Other Provisions
• Pre-determination - relaxation
• Local Referendums and right to challenge
– 5% of Electorate
• Communities can bid to run local services
• Assets of Community Value
• Abolishment of Standards Boards
• Ability for Councils to adopt former
Committee system
Start of the Big Society?
??