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31 Mar 2008 : Column 716W—continued
Mr. Iain Wright: Amendments to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 were made in 2005 following extensive consultation. The consultation process did not draw significant concerns regarding the status of children's homes in the Use Classes Order.
Under existing planning regulations, the conversion of a residential dwelling to a children's home may require planning permission, depending on the characteristics of the proposed domestic arrangements and whether these are deemed to result in a material change of use. It is for each local planning authority to determine in the first instance, on a case-by-case basis, whether a material change of use is proposed and therefore whether planning permission is required.
Under the Use Classes Order, a children's home may fall within the C2 Residential Institutions or C3 Dwelling Houses use class. Generally speaking, the conversion of a residential dwelling into a children's home which is considered to fall within the C2 use class would require planning permission, while a conversion to a children's home falling within C3 use class would not.
The key test for whether a dwelling house used for non-family purposes should fall within the C3 Dwelling Houses use class is the concept of a single household. It would be difficult, in planning land-use terms, to differentiate between a dwelling house occupied by a group of young adults living together as a single household, from say a dwelling house used as a small children's home where the occupants live together as a single household.
The single household concept provides more certainty over the planning position of small group homes (such as children's homes) which play a major role in the Government's community care policy. This policy is aimed at enabling people who need an element of care to live as normal lives as possible in touch with the community.
The Department has received a small number of representations on this issue over the last year. One of these representations was from the hon. Member for Rochdale (Paul Rowen), and contained correspondence from a constituent and a local planning authority. This representation referred to operation of private children's homes by the company Green Corns Ltd.
The Department has not held any recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families nor the Local Government Association on this matter.
Press
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost of the press offices of (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies were in each year since 1996-97; what the cost was in each quarter since 1st April 2007; and if she will make a statement. [189669]
Mr. Dhanda: The Department was established in 2006. The pay costs for the Department’s press office in 2006-07 were £1,108,068.75.
For costs of the press office in our predecessor department, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 July 2005, Official Report, column 1772W, to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow).
Information on agencies and non-departmental bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Southwest One
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) if she will place in the Library a copy of the business case related to the provision of public services by single joint venture partnerships; and if she will make a statement; [194931]
(2) what estimate she has made of forecast effects on costs of the procurement of local services by Southwest One, broken down by area of service provision; [194935]
(3) what assessment she has made of the effects on existing local services in Somerset County Council and Taunton Deane Borough Council of the recent contract with Southwest One; and if she will make a statement; [194938]
(4) how much was paid from the public purse to IBM (a) prior to and (b) in connection with the establishment of (i) the joint venture partnership in the South West and (ii) Southwest One. [194940]
Mr. Dhanda: The Department has not been involved in the process of developing the Southwest One partnership. The questions that you raise in relation to Southwest One are for Somerset county council and Taunton Deane borough council to answer. With respect to policy, we believe that councils can gain greater value for money through joint venture partnerships in some cases. Councils should, therefore, consider this as a potential option where appropriate.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what contractual provisions on (a) accountability, (b) audit and (c) assurance of value for money there are in the agreement between Taunton Deane Borough Council and South West One over the provision of public services; what contractual provisions there are in the agreement relating to the role of the Audit Commission; and if she will make a statement; [194137]
(2) who is on the permanent board of Southwest One; [194138]
(3) what estimate she has made of the effect on costs to the public purse of the contract with Southwest One in each of the next five years, broken down by public sector client; [194146]
(4) what her policy is on the provision of (a) further public services and (b) public services to further public sector clients by Southwest One beyond the borders of the South West Regional Development Agency; and if she will make a statement; [194147]
(5) what the cost of the contract for the provision of services by Southwest One has been to date; how much has been allocated for such provision in each of the next three years; and if she will make a statement; [194150]
(6) what estimate she has made of the effect on costs to the public purse of the contract with Southwest One in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09; and if she will make a statement; [194160]
(7) what process was followed in appointing IBM as preferred bidder to join Somerset County Council and Taunton Deane Borough Council in establishing the joint venture partnership Southwest One; what her role was in this process; and if she will make a statement; [194156]
(8) if she will make a statement on the future of public service provision by Southwest One; and what her policy is on the outsourcing of local services to joint venture partnerships. [194159]
Mr. Dhanda: The Department has not been involved in the process of developing the Southwest One partnership. The questions that you raise in relation to Southwest One are for Somerset county council and Taunton Deane borough council to answer.
With respect to policy, we believe that councils can gain greater value for money through joint venture
partnerships in some cases. Councils should, therefore, consider this as a potential option where appropriate.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions took place with (a) the South West Regional Development Agency and (b) the Government Office of the South West prior to the contract with Southwest One for the provision of public services being finalised. [194148]
Mr. Dhanda: As part of their normal interaction with Somerset county council and Taunton Deane borough council, the South West of England Regional Development Agency and the Government office for the south-west were both aware of the developing proposals for Southwest One, but they had no formal discussions with either the local authorities concerned or the Department about it.
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