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ePolitix.com Stakeholders comment on the Local Democracy, Economic Development & Construction Bill ahead of its second reading in the House of Commons.
Background to the Bill
Measures allowing citizens greater influence over local decision making, making public services more transparent and accountable, will be brought forward as part of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill.
The Bill is the keystone of a wider programme to put people at the heart of decisions affecting their lives at a local level. It will ensure that those who understand these issues best will be able to take decisions affecting the local economy.
A more level playing field for small, local construction business in construction contracts will also be ensured as part of the Bill.
The legislation underpins the policies announced in the recent white paper "Communities in control: real people, real power" and takes forward the proposals set out in the government review of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration (SNR).
To ensure the views of tenants are taken into account on housing issues, the Bill will establish a National Tenant Voice. A proposal for which was included in a Communities and Local Government consultation in June 2007 "Tenant empowerment".
The Audit Commission and the Auditor General for Wales will also be given new powers to appoint auditors to report public interest.
The Bill will make the Boundary Committee for England an independent body from the Electoral Commission.
Stakeholder Response: Campaign to Protect Rural England
CPRE welcomes the government's aspiration to increase community involvement in decision making. We have always believed that the planning system exists to manage land use change in the interests of society as a whole.
CPRE believe that local and regional planning should not, focus solely on economic growth. Equal weight should be placed on environmental and social considerations.
In order to ensure that sustainable economic growth can really be achieved, climate change should not be seen as a proxy for wider environmental concerns.
Environmental, social and economic stakeholders, as well as local communities, have played a vital role in the development of RSSs to date. They should play an important role in regional planning in the future. We do not believe that leaving the responsible regional authorities to involve 'persons who appear to them to have an interest' in the development of Regional Strategies is sufficient to secure public confidence in their role.
Read the CPRE briefing on the Local Democracy, Economic Development & Construction Bill.
Stakeholder Response: Commission for Rural Communities
The CRC supports proposals to establish joint scrutiny committees between county and district councils. These joint committees would have powers to support the scrutiny of partners signed up to delivering targets within Local Area Agreements. These proposals should support stronger local scrutiny and accountability in rural two tier areas.
The proposed new economic assessment duty on local authorities is welcome. But parish and town councils deserve (on behalf of their local communities, businesses and partnerships) to be statutory consultees alongside others. The Bill should be amended accordingly.
There should be a requirement on the new Regional Strategies to be Rural Proofed. 'Rural Proofing' is a government commitment and this should be reflected within guidance on the new Regional Strategies.
Read the CRC briefing on the Local Democracy, Economic Development & Construction Bill.
Stakeholder Response: Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust welcomes the intention to improve engagement with the planning system. Proper and meaningful consultation helps ensure transparency and public confidence in decision-making.
The Trust believes that the Bill must provide a statutory role for regional stakeholders such as NGOs to input their expertise into the creation, implementation and monitoring of the new integrated regional strategies.
Regional and local planning must integrate environmental and social concerns with economic growth if it is to protect irreplaceable environmental assets including ancient woodland and thus deliver genuine sustainable development.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd
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