Localism (Government and Political Context, State of the South West 2011)

D.32 The Localism Bill was published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) on 13th December 2010.

D.33 The Localism Bill is a Department for Communities and Local Government sponsored piece of legislation introduced against the backdrop of significant spending cuts: first in the Comprehensive Spending Review of 20th October 2010, and then by the local government settlement on 16 December. The Bill and its objectives should therefore be viewed in this context.

D.34 The Bill deals with a wide range of issues relating to local government, local government finance, community empowerment, housing and planning. It embodies one of the main policy objectives of the Coalition Government, namely its commitment to localism. This also encompasses elements of the Big Society. Much of the Bill is ‘enabling.’ This means that provisions within the Bill will provide discretionary regulation-making powers to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and his Ministers. This is a regular feature of Acts of Parliament.

D.35 The principal components of the Bill include:

Abolition of Regional Strategies in favour of neighbourhood planning and community rights to participate in planning decisions Reform of local plans
Housing and housing finance reform
New powers for local people to demand local referendums on important issues, including levels of council tax
A General Power of Competence designed to allow local authorities freedom to act in any way they believe is in the interests of their communities, so long as it does not contravene the law

D.36 The Localism Bill will affect all tiers of local government, including town and parish councils who will be empowered to participate more deeply in issues and activities effecting their area.

D.37 The South West Observatory recently published a policy briefing on the Localism Bill, which can be found here.