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15 Jun 2010 : Column 371W—continued
Housing: Empty Property
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to bring empty homes back into use. [2660]
Andrew Stunell: We are currently exploring a wide range of measures to bring empty homes back into use.
Local Government Executive
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the proposals on page 12 of the Coalition Agreement on allowing councils to return to the committee system, if he will make it his policy to remove the requirement on councils to consult on adopting an indirectly-elected leader model of government. [2426]
Robert Neill: We are committed to allow councils to have the committee system rather than executive structures, if they wish, and intend to seek the necessary powers, including provision about how councils will be able to adopt new governance models, in legislation to devolve greater powers to councils and neighbourhoods and give local communities control over housing and planning decisions which was announced in the Queen's Speech for this parliamentary Session.
Local Government Finance
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the end to ring-fencing of central government funding for local authorities will apply to funding for housing. [1630]
Robert Neill: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement and supporting documents that were laid in the House on 10 June 2010, Official Report, columns 15-17WS as these provide a detailed breakdown of the central Government grants from which the ringfences have been removed in 2010-11.
The housing market renewal grant which accounts for £236 million of capital funding is one of the grants that will have the ring-fence removed in 2010-11.
Local Government Finance: West Midlands
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what individual grants to (a) Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council and (b) each other local authority in the West Midlands he plans to reduce as part of his Department's planned expenditure reductions; and if he will make a statement. [2403]
Robert Neill: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State laid in the House on 10 June 2010, Official Report, columns 15-17WS.
Local Government: Public Consultation
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by what mechanism people in a local authority area will be able to initiate a local referendum. [1627]
Andrew Stunell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham East (Chris Leslie) on 8 June, Official Report, column 132W.
Marinas: Brighton
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to announce his decision on the Explore Living planning appeal in regard to Brighton Marina; and if he will make a statement. [2262]
Robert Neill: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will issue his decision on or before 13 July 2010.
Planning Permission: Appeals
Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many judicial reviews under section 288 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 were brought by each local planning authority against the decision of the planning inspectorate in each of the last five years; how many of them were (a) upheld and (b) dismissed in relation to each authority; and if he will make a statement. [2052]
Robert Neill: The following table sets out the number of challenges made by local authorities to planning appeal decisions made by the Planning Inspectorate in the years 2004-05 to 2008-09. The figures for 2009-10 will be available after 17 June (in order to comply with the Statistics Act 2007) and can be provided on request.
| LA name | Upheld | Dismissed | Total |
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