Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the provision in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to remove public notices in local papers concerning changes to local authority governance arrangements on local democratic engagement.

Schedule 25 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill makes provision to amend statutory notice requirements under the Local Government Act 2000, concerning changes to local authority governance arrangements.

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 and provisions in the Bill will limit future changes to local authority governance.

The provision does not prevent local authorities from publishing notices in printed newspapers where this is considered the most appropriate way to inform residents. Instead, local authorities will be able to choose the most suitable communication channels for their area, including local newspapers.