Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his latest estimate is of the real terms change in the spending powers of local authorities in the current financial year taking into account relevant price and wage increases.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
In this year’s Local Government Finance Settlement, the government has made available £54.1 billion in 2022/23 for local government in England, an increase of up to £3.7 billion from 2021/22. This recognises the resources councils need to meet pressures and maintain service levels.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what exact questions his Department asked local authorities in relation to additional homelessness pressures arising from Ukrainian individuals and households entering the country through either the Family Scheme visa or Homes for Ukraine sponsorship routes; and when he will publish the data that local authorities have provided in relation to those questions.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
We will publish data and associated questions in due course.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of (a) inflation and (b) the rise in the National Living Wage on local authority budgets.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Spending Review settlement for local government takes account of a wide range of unit cost pressures, including increases in the National Living Wage and public sector pay. The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2022/23 makes available an additional £3.7 billion to councils in England, including funding for adult social care reform.
The Department will continue to work closely with the local government sector and other government departments to understand the impact of emerging challenges such as energy price rises and the impacts of the war in Ukraine on local authorities. Local government pay is negotiated between the National Joint Councils employer and union representatives. Pay is ultimately a decision for local councils.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate he has made of the costs to building safety managers of establishing a golden thread of information.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Through the Building Safety Bill, we are introducing a requirement as part of the new more stringent regulatory regime to create and maintain a golden thread of information for high rise residential buildings. It will be the duty of the people responsible for a building in scope to put in place and maintain a golden thread of information. In occupation this will be the Accountable Person.
We estimate there will be additional annual costs to industry due to implementing the golden thread. These will vary depending on whether the people responsible for the building have already put in place good digital information management systems and practices. The impact assessment sets out our current estimate of the costs to industry of the golden thread.
The costs of the Golden Thread may be included in the Building Safety Charge, payable by leaseholders, which covers the ongoing day-to-day costs of managing building safety. The Building Safety Charge covers a defined list of activities and there are powers in the Bill that will enable Government to limit the building safety costs that can be recharged to leaseholders.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has plans to reintroduce remote meeting options for local authorities in response to the Omicron variant and Plan B restrictions announced on 8 December 2021.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Department is reviewing the responses to the consultation and the Government will respond shortly. Any permanent change would require primary legislation, and would depend upon Parliamentary time being available.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions he has had with the Local Government Association on the emergence of Omicron and the number of councils who have had to (a) cancel meetings, (b) restrict attendance and (c) reduce items for discussion in an attempt to reduce the risks of transmission.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
I held a round table which representatives of the Local Government Association attended, and a webinar which all local authority Leaders and Chief Executives were invited to last week where this issue was raised.
The Department is reviewing the responses to the consultation on council remote meetings and the Government will respond shortly. Any permanent change would require primary legislation, and would depend upon Parliamentary time being available.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many funds are allocated to local authorities by his Department through a process of competitive bidding; and if he will publish the names of those funds.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
There are times when dedicated competitive biddable or targeted funding streams are the best way to make sure local government receives the support, they need to deliver the Government's objectives, including specific funding initiatives, trials or pilots. In such circumstances, the Government will look to maximise value for money by considering the timing, value and conditions attached to any funding.
DLUHC has responsibility for overseeing the funds in the below table.
Fund Name |
Community Housing Fund |
Waking Watch Relief Fund |
Social Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund |
Local Growth Fund |
Levelling Up Fund |
Community Ownership Fund |
Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme |
Rough Sleeping Initiative |
Substance Misuse Programme |
Cold Weather Fund |
Brownfield Housing Fund |
Local Authority Accelerated Construction Fund |
Small Sites Fund |
Housing Deals - Oxfordshire |
Housing Deals - West Midlands |
Affordable Homes Programme (2021-2026) |
Affordable Homes Programme (2016-2023) |
Changing Places Toilet Fund |
Local Data Accelerator Fund for children and families |
Changing Futures programme |
Partnerships for People and Place |
First Homes early delivery programme |
Estate Regeneration pilot 2021 |
Respite Rooms |
Welcome Back Fund |
Brownfield Land Release Fund |
New Development Corporations Competition |
Move On Fund |
Coastal Communities Fund |
Getting Building Fund |
Towns Fund |
Future High Streets Fund |
Land Assembly Fund |
Housing Infrastructure Fund |
Freeports |
European Structural and Investment Funds |
National Home Building Fund |
UK Community Renewal Fund |
Devolution and City Deals |
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will list the local authorities which do not have an up-to-date local plan as at 27 October 2021; and by when each of those authorities is expected to have an up-to-date local plan in place.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The National Planning Policy Framework states that policies in local plans and spatial development strategies should be reviewed to assess whether they need updating at least once every five years, and should then be updated as necessary. This is a legal requirement as set out in Regulation 10A of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.
As of 27 October 2021,180 (53%) Local Planning Authorities have an adopted local plan (under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 ) that is over five years old; and 25 (7%) do not have an adopted local plan (under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004).
In March 2020 Government set out a clear expectation that local planning authorities must have an up-to-date plan in place by the end of 2023. On 19 January 2021, a Written Ministerial Statement was made which set out the importance of maintaining progress to get up to date local plans in place by December 2023. The Written Ministerial Statement is available at: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-01-19/hcws720.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the projected real terms and cash increase is for local government spending in each of the next three years; and what the forecast increase in Council Tax is in each of those years.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Spending Review for local government is set out in table 4.9 (page 108) of HMT's budget documentation. (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1028814/Budget_AB2021_Web_Accessible.pdf
Councils are responsible for setting their council tax levels. The Spending Review confirmed that it expected referendum principles for each of the three years to be a 2% core principle and 1% Adult Social Care precept. Details will be set out in the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the increase in Business Rates relief announced in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 will impact local government funding.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Government will compensate local authorities for loss of income as a result of business rate relief, following a well-established process. Relief awarded in line with the eligibility criteria, which will be set out in guidance, will not therefore impact on local government funding.