Localism Bill impact assessments published
Evidence published underpinning the measures in the Localism Bill to aid analysis and discussion.
Evidence underpinning the measures in the Localism Bill to aid analysis and discussion was published today (31 January 2011).
The Localism Bill will put an end to the centralisation of power in government allowing local communities and councils the freedom to run their lives and neighbourhoods in their own way.
The impact assessments report on the potential impact of implementing the decentralisation and localism elements of the coalition agreement. They will help promote the devolution of power away from Westminster and Whitehall to local councils and communities.
Decentralisation Minister Greg Clark said:
“Any public policy has pros and cons. In one of the most comprehensive exercises undertaken by any government department to date, we are setting out our frank assessment of the effects of our radical proposals. This demonstrates our commitment to openness and transparency. These reports prove the net benefits to local economies, to local democracy and to community life of the coalition government’s decentralisation programme.”
The set of impact assessments should be considered together within the context of the overall Localism Bill. They cover the following:
- the abolition of the Standards Board regime, clarification of the law on predetermination and the requirement to register and declare interests
- giving councils greater freedoms over their governance arrangements
- creating executive mayors in the 12 largest English cities
- local referendums
- general power of competence
- general powers for fire and rescue authorities
- Community Right to Challenge
- Community Right to Buy
- business rates supplements: requirement for a ballot for all business rates supplement proposals
- discretionary business rates discounts
- small business rates relief automation
- local government senior officer pay accountability
- cancellation of certain backdated non-domestic rates liabilities
- provision for referendums to veto excessive Council Tax increases
- abolition of the regional planning tier and introduction of the duty to cooperate
- major infrastructure projects
- updated final impact assessment for the community infrastructure levy
- Local Plan reform
- compulsory pre-application consultation between prospective developers and local communities
- enforcement package
- neighbourhood plans and Community Right to Build
- payment of EU infraction fines by local and other public authorities
- repeal of home information packs
- reforming the annual housing revenue account subsidy system
- reform of social housing regulation
- creating a single housing ombudsman
- a fairer future for social housing
- devolution package: provision of housing and regeneration powers to the Greater London Authority, abolition of the London Development Agency, enabling powers for the Mayor to designate Mayoral Development Corporations
Further information
The full list of impact assessments published today is:
- A fairer future for social housing
- The abolition of the Standards Board regime, clarification of the law on predetermination and the requirement to register and declare interests
- Business Rate Supplement: requirement for a ballot for all business rate supplement proposals
- Cancellation of certain backdated non domestic rates liabilities
- Community Infrastructure Levy
- Community Right to Buy
- Community Right to Challenge
- Compulsory pre-applications for consultations between prospective developers and local communities
- Creating a single housing ombudsman
- Devolution package
- Discretionary business rates discounts
- Enforcement package
- General power of competence
- General powers for fire and rescue authorities
- Giving councils greater freedom over their governance arrangements
- Local plan reform
- Local referendums
- Summary impact assessment
- Major infrastructure projects
- Neighbourhood plans and community right to build
- Payment of European Union infraction fines by local and public authorities
- Provision for referendums to veto excessive Council Tax increases
- Reform of social housing regulation
- Reforming the annual housing revenue account subsidy system
- Repeal of home information packs
- Local government senior officer pay accountability
- Small business rate relief automation
- Creating executive mayors in the 12 largest English cities
- Abolition of the regional planning tier and introduction of the duty to cooperate
We have also published equality impact assessments on: