Asked by: Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what meetings ministers have had with members of the Local Government Association to discuss the provisions of paragraph 6 of Schedule 27 to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Schedule 27 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (the Bill) makes a small, specific and practical change to the publication of local authority governance changes. It removes the statutory requirement for councils to publish governance changes in printed newspapers but crucially does not prevent them from doing so if they consider that is the best way to inform their local residents.
In practice this change will affect only a very small number of councils. Over 80% of councils already operate the leader-and-cabinet model of governance. The Bill does not make changes to public notices more generally, for example in relation to planning.
Councils will be able to consider the most effective means to bring changes in local governance arrangements to the attention of the public. They could do this through local newspapers, digital platforms, council websites, or other local channels.
Throughout the passage of the Bill the government has and will continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders.
Asked by: Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how the provisions of paragraph 6 of Schedule 27 to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will affect public awareness of the activities of local authorities.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Schedule 27 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (the Bill) makes a small, specific and practical change to the publication of local authority governance changes. It removes the statutory requirement for councils to publish governance changes in printed newspapers but crucially does not prevent them from doing so if they consider that is the best way to inform their local residents.
In practice this change will affect only a very small number of councils. Over 80% of councils already operate the leader-and-cabinet model of governance. The Bill does not make changes to public notices more generally, for example in relation to planning.
Councils will be able to consider the most effective means to bring changes in local governance arrangements to the attention of the public. They could do this through local newspapers, digital platforms, council websites, or other local channels.
Throughout the passage of the Bill the government has and will continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders.
Asked by: Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost to local authorities of complying with section 9KC, section 9MA and section 9MF of the Local Government Act 2000 in (1) 2022–23, (2) 2023–24, and (3) 2024–25.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
No formal assessment has been made of the costs to local authorities of complying with sections 9KC, 9MA, and 9MF of the Local Government Act 2000 for the years 2022-23, 2023-24, or 2024-25.
Where a local authority has decided to hold a referendum or pass a resolution in relation to its governance arrangements, the associated costs are a matter for the local authority.
Asked by: Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of paragraph 6 of Schedule 27 to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill on the long-term sustainability of local and regional newspapers.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Schedule 27 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (the Bill) makes a small, specific and practical change to the publication of local authority governance changes. It removes the statutory requirement for councils to publish governance changes in printed newspapers but crucially does not prevent them from doing so if they consider that is the best way to inform their local residents.
In practice this change will affect only a very small number of councils. Over 80% of councils already operate the leader-and-cabinet model of governance. The Bill does not make changes to public notices more generally, for example in relation to planning.
Councils will be able to consider the most effective means to bring changes in local governance arrangements to the attention of the public. They could do this through local newspapers, digital platforms, council websites, or other local channels.
Throughout the passage of the Bill the government has and will continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders.
Asked by: Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to commence sections (1) 102, and (2) 230, of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is reviewing heritage planning policy in the context of wider reforms to the planning system. As part of that work we will consider the outstanding measures from the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023. An announcement on the way forward will be made in due course.