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DECENTRALISATION AND LOCALISM BILL
The long awaited Decentralisation and Localism Bill was published on 13 December 2010. Planned measures include initiatives to abolish Regional Spatial Strategies, a power of general competence for Local Authorities, and directly elected Mayors. The Bill also proposes changes to Council Housing Finance and Social Housing Allocation, and the abolition of Home Information Packs. The Bill includes a number of proposals that are likely to have a significant impact in rural areas, including:
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The right to develop neighbourhood plans which can guide and simplify the pathway for locally agreed development.
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The right to a share of a new Communities Infrastructure Levy.
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The right to ‘list’ sites of community value, in order to safeguard them from disposal for other uses.
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The right to challenge local authorities if local communities believe they can run local services more effectively.
The Bill will also empower local people to hold local authorities and ‘larger’ parish councils to account by initiating a binding referendum on excessive council tax rises, and by instigating a non-binding local referendum on any other local issue.
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has produced an easy to read essential guide and a media background note summarising the different elements of the Bill. Please click on the links below to download copies of each guide.
(* Please note that this link will take you to an external website. DRCC is not responsible for the content of external websites).