A bill that heralds a shift in power to councils and communities, overturning decades of central government control, was unveiled by Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles today.
The Localism Bill contains a radical package of reforms that will devolve greater power and freedoms to councils and neighbourhoods, establish powerful new rights for communities, revolutionise the planning system, and give communities control over housing decisions.
For councils, the Bill will fundamentally change their freedom to act in the interest of their local communities through a new general power of competence. Rather than needing to rely on specific powers, the new power will give councils the legal reassurance and confidence to innovate, drive down costs to deliver more efficient services.
The Localism Bill contains further measures to strengthen local democracy by:
In a major transfer of power from Whitehall to town halls, councils will be freed from bureaucratic constraints with new freedoms and flexibilities to act in the best interests of their area.
Councillors will have to approve and be required to publish new chief executive pay rules at full Council that management will have to follow.
Councillors will no longer be prevented from voting on campaign issues; and there will be a new power to create directly elected mayors in 12 cities.
Powers for councils are accompanied by greater powers for local people to hold their local authorities to account.
Local people and communities will have a bigger say over their area through a new right to challenge to take over services.
There will be a new right to bid to buy local assets such as libraries, pubs and shops.
Also to be introduced is a right to veto excessive council tax rises through a referendum.
Ministers believe the current planning system is too centralised and bureaucratic, too adversarial and remote from the communities it affects.
The Bill will restore democratic and local control over planning by replacing the Infrastructure Planning Commission with an efficient and democratically accountable system for major infrastructure.
The Bill will enable regional planning to be swept away and in its place neighbourhood plans will become the new building blocks of the planning system where communities have the power to grant planning permission if a local majority are in favour.
The Bill will return decision-making powers on housing to local councils and communities through a new Community Right to Build giving communities the freedom they need in order to come together to build new homes & amenities in their towns & villages.
Home Information Packs will be formally scrapped.
The Bill will put councils in charge of allocation and tenure of social housing, giving councils the flexibility to use their social housing stock to the maximum effect and reduce waiting lists.
It will be easier for social tenants to relocate though a new National Homeswap Scheme.
Councils will be able to offer flexible solutions to people at risk of homelessness.
The Housing Revenue Account Subsidy System will be replaced with a more transparent system that serves local communities.
Tenants will be able to scrutinise the services offered by their landlords and hold them to account.
The Tenant Services Authority will be abolished but its vital economic regulation functions will be preserved.
The Bill will give local government a stronger financial stake in the local economy, helping rebalance the economy, so it is more entrepreneurial and attracts local business by:
