Winter Floods

Debate between Caroline Nokes and Lord Pickles

Thursday 6th February 2014 Commons Chamber

[Caroline Nokes (Romsey and Southampton North) (Con)]

Flooding from failed sewers has a devastating effect on householders and is a health hazard. In Romsey there is a particular problem with Victorian sewers that have been overwhelmed by the ingress of surface water. What reassurance can my right hon. Friend provide that the extended Bellwin scheme will assist fiscally prudent counties such as Hampshire to help our communities?

[Mr Pickles]

I think Hampshire has behaved particularly well throughout the crisis, and in liaising with my Department and with DEFRA it has been exceptionally good. It is not about the type of activity; there is a threshold, and the decisions we have just made will help Hampshire with the threshold on Bellwin.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Caroline Nokes and Lord Pickles

Monday 18th March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Caroline Nokes (Romsey and Southampton North) (Con)]

13. What steps he has taken to increase powers of local authorities to tackle unauthorised development.

[The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles)]

We have previously made it absolutely clear that Traveller sites are inappropriate development in the green belt. We are also considering responses to our recent consultation on proposals to give councils more freedom to use temporary stop notices to take swift and effective action against unauthorised caravans in the green belt and elsewhere. This builds on our earlier reforms to strengthen councils' enforcement powers, increase protection for the green belt, and ensure fair play throughout planning.

--- Later in debate ---

[Caroline Nokes]

In the immediate Romsey area there have been several instances of retrospective planning applications involving Traveller sites. What reassurance can my right hon. Friend give my constituents that planning law is a level playing field that applies equally to everyone and that local authorities will have more robust powers to deal with the problem?

[Mr Pickles]

My hon. Friend raises an important point. The Localism Act 2011 gives applicants a chance to appeal either the enforcement notice or retrospective planning. The problem with the previous regime was that it was possible to appeal both and thereby prolong occupation of land where it was inappropriate.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Caroline Nokes and Lord Pickles

Monday 5th September 2011 Commons Chamber

[Caroline Nokes (Romsey and Southampton North) (Con)]

17. What plans he has to increase the powers of local authorities in dealing with unauthorised development.

[The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles)]

Local authorities already have strong powers to act against unauthorised development which apply to everyone who ignores planning controls. In the Localism Bill, we have taken action to restrict retrospective planning applications, to ensure that people do not get away with flouting the system.

[Caroline Nokes]

I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. What assurances can he give me that those rules will apply equally to all residents, and that the Travelling community will not be exempt from rules that apply to the rest of the population?

[Mr Pickles]

It is right and proper that we should respect the lifestyle choices of the Travelling community, but that does not give them particular rights over other citizens, particularly among the settled community. This Government will introduce special rules to ensure that authorities that provide pitches for Travellers receive a top-up against the new homes bonus, but the planning rules must be blind to a person’s ethnic background.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Caroline Nokes and Lord Pickles

Monday 4th April 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Pickles]

Of course my hon. Friend has much to be proud of in Tamworth council. It clearly cares about front-line services and is not prepared, as some Labour councils have been, to use the poor as a battering ram against the Government for base political motives.

[Caroline Nokes (Romsey and Southampton North) (Con)]

19. What plans he has for the future of rules governing the use of section 106 moneys collected by local authorities.