Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to encourage public participation in Devolution Priority Programme consultations.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 17th February, the government launched six consultations, one for each area on Devolution Priority Programme. The government is encouraging everyone who lives and works within these areas to participate and make their voices heard. The government has brought the consultation to the attention of a variety of local stakeholders, including local councils, community groups, and businesses, to ensure the consultation reaches the widest possible audience. We are utilising a range of communication methods, including social media and physical promotional materials to publicise this activity, which is also being reported by local media. Engagement is being actively monitored and we are putting in place plans to encourage maximum participation across all communities in these areas.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for publishing a Government response to the report entitled The impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission, published on 16 June 2022.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 5693 on 7 October 2024.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure adequate infrastructure is in place before new housing is built.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner.
Local development plans should address needs and opportunities in relation to infrastructure and identify what infrastructure is required and how it can be funded and brought forward. When preparing a Local Plan, Planning Practice Guidance recommends that local planning authorities use available evidence of infrastructure requirements to prepare an Infrastructure Funding Statement. Such Statements can be used to demonstrate the delivery of infrastructure throughout the plan-period.
The government provides financial support for essential infrastructure in areas of greatest housing demand through Land and Infrastructure funding programmes, such as the Housing Infrastructure Fund.
The changes to the National Planning Policy Framework announced on 12 December will also support the increased provision and modernisation of various types of public infrastructure.
The government is also committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department’s Planning Newsletter issued to local authorities on 13 December 2024, what steps local planning authorities will need to take as part of the requirement to update their Local Development Scheme within 12 weeks of the publication of the revised National Planning Policy Framework; and whether this will require amendments to an existing Local Plan.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local Planning Authorities have a statutory obligation to produce a Local Development Scheme and to keep it up-to-date and publicly available. As the Secretary of State set out in her letter of 12 December 2024, we are asking all Local Planning Authorities to review and update their Local Development Scheme in light of the revised National Planning Policy Framework and transitional arrangements by no later than 6 March 2025.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 December 2024, Official Report, HCWS308, whether local authorities with existing Local Plans produced under the previous standard method will now be required to update their Local Plans (a) as a consequence of the new housing need requirements and (b) in order to deliver the extra year’s worth of homes in their five year housing pipeline.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Having an effective up-to-date plan in place is essential to planning for, and meeting, development needs.
Whether a local authority is required to update their Local Plan as a consequence of the new housing need requirement will depend on the stage a draft plan has reached. This is set out in Annex 1 of the NPPF, particularly paragraphs 234-237.
Authorities that do not have an emerging plan at an advanced stage will need to use the revised NPPF and new housing requirement when preparing their next plan.
The 5-year housing land supply policy is a crucial mechanism in the planning system that ensures local authorities maintain a pipeline of sites for housing. The requirement introduced in para 78 c) in the NPPF means some LPAs will have to add a 20% buffer to their five-year housing land supply requirement. It does not necessitate LPAs producing a plan update.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to Q53 of the evidence given by the Minister of State for Housing and Planning to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee on 20 November 2024, HC432, at what (a) geographical and (b) administrative level regional strategic plans will operate.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Detail about the government’s proposed approach to strategic planning can be found in the English Devolution White Paper published on 16 December 2024.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with Hertfordshire County Council on local government reorganisation.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There have been no specific discussions on local government reorganisation between the Department and Hertfordshire County Council, Broxbourne Council, or East Herts Council. The Department is always open to hearing from councils about government in their local area.
The upcoming English Devolution White Paper will set out more detail on the government’s reorganisation plans, including working with councils to move to simpler structures that make sense for their local areas, with efficiency savings from council reorganisation helping to meet the needs of local people.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with East Herts Council on local government reorganisation.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There have been no specific discussions on local government reorganisation between the Department and Hertfordshire County Council, Broxbourne Council, or East Herts Council. The Department is always open to hearing from councils about government in their local area.
The upcoming English Devolution White Paper will set out more detail on the government’s reorganisation plans, including working with councils to move to simpler structures that make sense for their local areas, with efficiency savings from council reorganisation helping to meet the needs of local people.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with Broxbourne Council on local government reorganisation.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There have been no specific discussions on local government reorganisation between the Department and Hertfordshire County Council, Broxbourne Council, or East Herts Council. The Department is always open to hearing from councils about government in their local area.
The upcoming English Devolution White Paper will set out more detail on the government’s reorganisation plans, including working with councils to move to simpler structures that make sense for their local areas, with efficiency savings from council reorganisation helping to meet the needs of local people.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to introduce a referendum cap for council tax increases for the next financial year.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to keeping taxes on working people as low as possible. Decisions on future local authority funding will be a matter for the next Spending Review and Local Government Finance Settlement in which we are engaged.