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25 Nov 2002 : Column 120W—continued

Local Government Finance

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of spending by (a) Buckinghamshire county council, (b) South Buckinghamshire district council and (c) Wycombe district council has been financed by council tax payers in each year since January 1996; and what proportion is to be financed by council tax payers in 2002–03. [82386]

Mr. Leslie: The proportions of revenue expenditure financed from the council tax for Buckinghamshire county council, South Buckinghamshire district council and Wycombe district council in the financial years 1995–96 to 2002–03 are set out in the table:

Income from council tax as a percentage of spending

YearBuckinghamshire county council(18)South Buckinghamshire district councilWycombe district council
1995–96273837
1996–97283139
1997–98313341
1998–99346342
1999–2000344847
2000–01355855
2001–02(19)345535
2002–03(19)

(18) For 1997–98 onwards this excludes the area of Milton Keynes borough council, which became unitary from 1 April 1997.

(19) 2001–02 and 2002–03 are budgeted figures; 1995–96 to 2000–01 are outturn figures.

Source:

1995–96 to 2000–01 Revenue Summary Returns. 2001–02 and 2002–03 Budget Estimate Returns


Manton Pit Site

John Mann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what the timescale is for agreement between English Partnerships and the East Midlands Regional Development Agency on the infrastructure works and marketing of the former Manton pit site; [82254]

Mr. McNulty: English Partnerships and the East Midlands Regional Development Agency have already agreed on much of the infrastructure works and marketing of the former Manton Pit site. In addition, reclamation and the agreed level of infrastructure work has been delivered through an agreement with English Partnerships and the East Midlands Regional Development Agency, which is currently on the market. However, both organisations continue to work towards establishing the needs for further works, and may seek approval for further expenditure depending on the outcome of an economic appraisal which they hope to bring to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister early in 2003.

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To date, £4.3 million has been approved for investment in Manton Colliery in order to reclaim, service, manage and market the site as well as undertake further feasibility work to consider additional investment.

Neighbourhood Renewal

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many local authorities have implemented the Learning Curve neighbourhood renewal scheme; and if he will list them. [83267]

Mrs. Roche: The Learning Curve, published on 21 October, is the Government's strategy to promote better skills and knowledge for everyone working in neighbourhood renewal. It sets out 23 measures, including face to face advice, regional networks, and an innovative website, renewal.net, to ensure that everyone, including local authority staff working in our most deprived areas can acquire the skills and knowledge they need to deliver real, lasting change. Some measures are already in place, others will be developed with a range of organisations, including the Local Government Association and local authorities, over the coming months.

I have placed a copy of the Learning Curve strategy in the House Libraries.

Park Homes

Mrs. Browning: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he intends to publish the Government's response to the survey on the economics of park homes; and if he will make a statement. [82517]

Mr. McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister welcomes the publication of the report on the Economics of the Park Homes Industry, which makes an important contribution to addressing issues of concern to park home residents. It highlights the importance of site owners taking a professional approach to financial management of the park, and the need for those who are buying a park home to be aware of their current position under the law and of the costs and risks involved.

There is no plan to publish a formal Government response to the report.

Planning

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will publish his Department's research into the effectiveness of implementation of PPG3 and on the progress made by local authorities in carrying out urban capacity studies; and if he will make a statement. [82456]

Mr. McNulty: The intention of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is to publish the research by Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners on assessing the implementation of PPG3 as soon as possible, however the timing is dependent on satisfactory completion of the report. 90 per cent. of unitary authorities and district councils responding to the questionnaire survey forming part of this research had, by spring 2002, completed an urban housing capacity study or had one in preparation.

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Mr. Oaten: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what assessment he has made of (a) partnership working between counties in cross-border policy making on PPG3 issues and (b) the effectiveness of regional planning bodies in facilitating this; and if he will make a statement; [82461]

Mr. McNulty: The research for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister by Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners on assessing the implementation of PPG3 has:


Public Services (Babergh)

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what impact changes in the local government formula grant will have on public services in Babergh. [82841]

Mr. Raynsford: We will announce the new system for distributing formula grant, including detailed grant allocations for individual authorities, at the time of the provisional local government finance settlement which we expect to be around the start of December. Once the Government have allocated its grant, decisions about budgets and services are primarily for local councils to make. However, we have already guaranteed that no authority will face a cut in grant next year on a like for like basis, and we hope to do better than that when we announce the actual floors and ceilings scheme as part of the provisional settlement.

Rough Sleepers

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when his Department next plans to undertake a street count of those living rough in (a) London and (b) West Sussex. [83274]

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Mrs. Roche: Local authorities are responsible for homelessness in their areas and as such also take responsibility for the co-ordination and timing of street counts. It is the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister policy that areas where more than ten people are sleeping rough conduct a count at least every twelve months. This would apply to any local authority areas in West Sussex or London.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what methodology is used to count the number of rough sleepers; and what plans he has to change this. [83276]

Mrs. Roche: Guidance was first published in 1996 on counting methodology developed in partnership with charities and voluntary organisations helping people sleeping rough. Independent evaluation has confirmed that the methodology remains the most robust method for measuring relative levels of rough sleeping and of change over time.

Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the counts are undertaken and that the methodology is followed. The snapshot counts should take place on a single night, between 12 am and 6 am. The definition of people who should be included in rough sleeper counts is clearly set out in the guidance. It is: people sleeping, or bedded down, in the open air (such as on the streets, or in doorways, parks or bus shelters); people in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (such as barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats, stations or bashes).

There are no current plans to change this methodology. Changing the methodology could reduce the value of counts in measuring change.


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