Select Committee on Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions Ninth Report


9 The Way Forward

Timetable

We publish the indicative timetable below for implementation of our recommendations as an aid to the department, and a checklist against which we, or our successors in a future Parliament can assess progress in dealing with the issues we have raised.

Short Term
Recommendation Numbers
Publication of 2005/2006 Revenue Support Grant settlement
6Publication of further details of the basis of the current grant system.
7Investigation of the feasibility of introducing a 3-year rolling programme of grants, drawing on lessons from the Scottish experience.
9Ring-fenced grants to be no more than 10% of the total of central grant.
Budget setting/rate-setting by local authorities in 2005
16Implementation of strategy to raise public confidence in council tax and [eventual] effects of revaluation.
23,26Removal of Cap on business rates: 20% floor on contribution of business rate to total local authority revenue: constraints on increases in rate.
27Identification of best practice on council tax billing information, and guidance to all local authorities.
19Re-branding of council tax benefit.
15,16During 2005, begin preparation for the introduction of expanding banding scale, revised multipliers within the scale, and regional or sub-regional banding, following modelling and consultation

Medium Term
Recommendation NumbersBy the end of 2005
8Ending of most power of capping.
10Reconsideration of the use of ring-fencing and passporting.
12, 21, 31Research and investigation into (a) reduction of inspection regimes on local authorities (b) feasibility of a local income tax (c) investigation into the implications of a local sales tax.
By April 2006
23, 25Localisation of business rates: mechanism for preventing excessive annual increases: mechanism for limited distribution.
35Introduction of local authority power to raise revenue from the "basket of taxes".

Long Term
Recommendation NumbersAt the time of the 2007 revaluation
14, 15Introduction of expanding banding scale, revised multipliers within the scale, and regional or sub-regional banding, following modelling and consultation
At time of 2007 council tax billing
16Identification on bills of reasons for charges.






 
previous page contents next page

House of Commons home page Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries index

© Parliamentary copyright 2004
Prepared 16 July 2004