Localism
Local communities will have a much greater say in how their neighbourhoods are run under new proposals outlined in the Localism Bill. These include allowing communities to veto excessive Council Tax rises, bid to save assets of community value and to shape their local areas through neighbourhood plans.
The Localism Bill aims to strengthen local democracy and give local people the freedom to run their lives and neighbourhoods in their own way.
Measures outlined in the Bill include:
Public right to veto excessive Council Tax rises
The public will be able to approve or veto excessive Council Tax rises. Any local authority setting an increase above a certain amount will trigger a referendum in their area. If councils want to increase Council Tax beyond a specified level, they will have to prove the case to voters.
Community 'Right to Challenge'
Voluntary and community groups, social enterprises, parish councils and local authority employees delivering a service will be able to challenge a local authority to let them run that service.
Community 'Right to Buy'
Communities will be able to bid for public or private assets when they come up for sale. This will allow communities to save sites which are important to the community.
Local referendums
Local people will be able to launch a local referendum on any local issue. Local authorities and other public authorities will have to take the outcomes into account in decision making.
Directly elected mayors
Almost every major city in the world outside of the UK has a strong and powerful executive mayor. The government proposes to allow 12 English cities to have executive mayors from 2012, subject to referendums and full scrutiny by elected councillors. Ultimately, it will be for local people in each city to decide whether to have an elected mayor.
Scrapping bin taxes
So-called 'bin tax' schemes would have allowed local councils to charge residents for household rubbish collections or fine families for having a full bin. The Localism Bill will stop these schemes taking place.
Neighbourhood planning
The Bill will introduce a new right for communities to shape their local areas. Neighbourhood plans will enable communities to allow development, in full or in outline, without the need for planning applications.
Community 'Right to Build'
This measure will allow local communities to take forward development in their area without the need to apply for planning permission, provided at least 50 per cent of the community agrees in a referendum.
Pre-application consultation
Prospective developers will have to consult local communities before submitting planning applications for very large developments. This is intended to give local people a chance to comment on proposed developments which may have an impact on them and influence them at an early stage.
Enforcement of planning rules
Where people try to flout the planning system, local planning authorities will be able to take strong action.
Social housing reform
Local authorities will have the freedom to decide who should be eligible qualify to go on their housing waiting list. This measure will allow local authorities to set waiting list policies that are appropriate to their local area.
Reform of homelessness laws
At the moment, homeless people can insist on being provided with expensive temporary accommodation, at the taxpayer’s expense, until social housing becomes available. The Bill will allow local authorities to offer suitable accommodation in the private rented sector, which will fulfill their duty to provide housing.
Social housing tenancy reform
Currently, social landlords are normally only able to grant lifetime tenancies. The Bill will enable local authority landlords to grant tenancies for a fixed length (the minimum length being two years). These ‘flexible’ tenancies will give more freedom to local authority landlords, allowing them to manage their housing stock more effectively and ensure that the occupation of social housing better reflects actual need.
National Homeswap Scheme
Tenants who are overcrowded, who need to move to get a job or to be nearer to family for caring have to compete with households on the waiting list. One option for them is to seek a mutual home exchange. A national scheme that allows tenants to see a wide range of properties across providers will help deliver this.
Home Information Packs (HIPs)
HIPs were suspended on 21 May. The Bill will permanently abolish them, although energy performance certificates will still be required.