Local Government Act 1988
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has for the future of section 43 of the Local Government Act 1988. [57222]
Robert Neill: The Government have no specific plans in relation to section 43 of the Local Government Act 1988. The Government support and value the role of mandatory and discretionary rate relief.
Local Government: Finance
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will place in the Library a copy of each submission made by London borough councils to his Department on the provisional 2011-12 local government finance settlement. [35814]
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Robert Neill: In previous years under past Administrations, written representations on the Local Government Finance Settlement have not usually been made public. In the spirit of transparency, Ministers have resolved that these should be published for the 2011-12 settlement, with the exception of any representations where the sender has explicitly requested their submission be treated as confidential.
In due course, my Department will publish these documents online, with an accompanying background note to explain what steps were taken to respond to consultation responses. I will inform the House when this is completed.
Local Government: Standards
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward secondary legislation to grant voting rights to co-opted members of local authority standards committees. [56631]
Robert Neill: The Standards Board regime fuelled petty complaints and malicious vendettas, wasting taxpayers' money and harming local democracy.
The Localism Bill places a duty on councils to promote and maintain high standards of conduct, under which it will be their responsibility to take and fund such measures, including establishing any appropriate disciplinary processes, that they see fit to fulfil this duty.
And as a guard against corruption, the Bill also provides that a member will commit a criminal offence if he or she, without reasonable excuse, fails to register or disclose an interest, or takes part in council business having personal interests which prohibit this.
In this context, it will remain open for councils to have voluntary standards committees, but we have no plans to bring forward secondary legislation as suggested. One of the purposes of our reforms is to move away from arbitrary and often quasi-political judgments by unelected officials who operate outside the integrity and independence of the formal judicial process.
Planning Permission: Appeals
Mr Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how long his appointed Inspector in relation to appeal reference APP/E1210/A/10/2141696, spent at the appeal site during his visit on 1 March 2011. [57230]
Robert Neill: The Inspector's records indicate that he spent 35 minutes on site and walking in the vicinity. He spent a further estimated five minutes driving in the wider locality to acquaint himself with the overall context of the site.
Playing Fields
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the future of the playing fields planning circular New Town and Country Planning (Consultation) Direction 2009. [56630]
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Robert Neill: There are no plans to change the DCLG Circular 02/2009: The Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2009. The coalition agreement affirms that the Government will seek to protect school playing fields, and it also commits the Government to creating a new designation to protect green areas of particular importance to local communities.
Social Care
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how much was allocated by each local authority for social care in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement; [57394]
(2) how much was allocated by each local authority as part of the supporting people programme in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement; [57395]
(3) how much was allocated by each local authority for respite care in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement. [57396]
Robert Neill: I have today placed in the Library of the House tables which show the sums allocated for social care, and for the supporting people programme, by each local authority in the years 2005-06 to 2009-10. Figures for the sums allocated to respite care are not held centrally.
Central Government funding for social care is not ring-fenced and authorities are free to allocate this funding according to local priorities. The spending review provided an additional £7.2 billion for social care over the next four years but it is for local authorities to decide where this funding is most needed.
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Trading Standards: Video Recordings
Mr Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the likely effect on the enforcement of the provisions of the Video Recordings Act 1984 by trading standards officers of the proposed reorganisation of the Local Government Group. [55914]
Robert Neill: No such assessment has been made. The Local Government Group is owned by its member local authorities and independent of central Government; its proposals for reorganisation and the services it will provide are matters for it to agree with its members.
Local Government Regulation provides support to councils on trading standards issues, but it is local authorities which undertake enforcement activity.
Vacant Land
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to discourage development on greenfield sites. [56693]
Robert Neill: We are taking substantial steps to help local communities protect greenfield sites as they plan for sustainable growth. We are abolishing regional strategies and their top down direction including on developing urban extensions; councils have been given stronger powers to prevent unwanted garden grabbing; green belt, sites of special scientific interest and other environmental protections will be maintained; and we will create a new designation to protect green areas of particular importance to local communities.
Our proposed new planning policy statement on travellers, subject to consultation, seeks to increase protection of the open countryside and green belt.