The Localism and Decentralisation Bill has been unveiled, heralding a shift in power to councils and communities.
The long awaited Bill, laid before Parliament today, contains a package of reforms that will devolve greater power and freedoms to councils and neighbourhoods, revolutionise the planning system, and give communities control over housing decisions.
The legislation will help build the Coalition’s “Big Society” by transforming the relationships between central government, local government, communities and individuals.
For councils the Bill will change council’s freedom to act in the interest of their local communities through a new general power of competence.
Rather than needing to rely on specific powers, the new power will give councils the legal reassurance and confidence to innovate, drive down costs to deliver more efficient services.
The Localism Bill contains measures to:
* Devolve significant new powers to councils – In a major transfer of power from
* Establish powerful new rights for local people and communities – powers for councils are accompanied by greater powers for local people to hold their local authorities to account. Local people and communities’ will have real power and a bigger say over their area through a new right to challenge to take over services; a new right to bid to buy local assets such as libraries, pubs and shops; the a new right to veto excessive council tax rises through a referendum. Bin tax laws repealed;
* Radically reform planning – Ministers believe the current planning system is too centralised and bureaucratic, too adversarial and remote from the communities it affects. The Bill will restore democratic and local control over planning by replacing the Infrastructure Planning Commission with an efficient and democratically accountable system for major infrastructure. The Bill will enable regional planning to be swept away and in its place neighbourhood plans will become the new building blocks of the planning system where communities have the power to grant planning permission if a local majority are in favour;
* Make housing fairer and more democratic – The Bill will return decision-making powers on housing to local councils and communities through a new Community Right to Build giving communities the freedom they need in order to come together to build new homes and amenities in their towns and villages. Home Information Packs will be formally scrapped. The Bill will put councils in charge of allocation and tenure of social housing, giving councils the flexibility to use their social housing stock to the maximum effect and reduce waiting lists. It will be easier for social tenants to relocate though a new National Homeswap Scheme and councils will be able to offer flexible solutions to people at risk of homelessness. The Housing Revenue Account Subsidy System will be replaced with a more transparent system that serves local communities. Tenants will be able to scrutinise the services offered by their landlords and hold them to account. The Tenant Services Authority will be abolished but its vital economic regulation functions will be preserved.
* Create incentives for economic growth – The Bill will give local government a stronger financial stake in the local economy, helping rebalance the economy, so it is more entrepreneurial and attracts local business by allowing local authorities to grant discretionary business rate discounts; making small business tax breaks easier take advantage of; giving affected businesses a greater say in rate supplements and cancelling certain backdated business rates including port taxes.
Nick.whitten@estatesgazette.com
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