Post on 14-Jan-2016
description
Localism and town and parish councils – front runners’ experiences
James KingstonDecentralisation and Neighbourhoods Team
Department for Communities and Local Government
The strategic context
• Financial climate is difficult and will remain so for the next few years
• Innovation is needed• Town and parish councils can use local knowledge to
provide better tailored local services• Central government is an enabler
The role of parish and town councils
• Greater powers over issues that matter to neighbourhoods may drive demand for what town and parish councils can do
• Town and parish councils offer :o formal democratic representation and accountability; o the ability to influence decision making by other bodies; ando the ability to deliver services, either taking responsibility for
existing services or providing additional services.
The Localism Act – new rights
Powers to communities
Powers to councils
Right to challenge
Neighbourhood planning
Right to bid (assets of
community value)
Freedoms on governance
Freedom on social tenancy
allocations
General power of competence
Power to individuals
Power to veto excessive council tax rises
Directly elected mayors in big cities
Neighbourhood planning
• A radical new right through the Localism Act• Communities will have greater influence in deciding where facilities should go through
local referendum• On completion, a neighbourhood development plan (NDP) or order (NDO) will become
part of the local development plan.
How does it work?How does it work?
1. A community applies for a
neighbourhood area to be designated
2. Parish \ Town council or
neighbourhood forum work up
details with community
3. Proposal submitted to local authority to
check proposal
4. Local referendum held ensuring that communities
have the final say on whether a NDP or NDO comes into force
in their area
Experiences of NP front runners
• Positive about having the power ‘to get on with it’ and bring benefits to local area for long-term
• Motivations – most see neighbourhood planning process as an opportunity to be proactive about planning in their local area, rather than reactive.
• Existing parish arrangements helpful • Neighbourhood planning working outside parished areas• Evidence and assessment – proportionate• Build on existing planning work at a neighbourhood level• Diverse content of neighbourhood plans – strong focus on
provision of affordable housing, public realm, town centre regeneration.
• Involvement of business • Strong partnership working with LPA
Right tochallenge
Right tobid
New community rights
1. Community or parish identify
assets of community value
3. Communities get time and support to bid for assets
2. Local authorities hold and control a
list of assets of community value
4. More communities take control of local
assets
2. Expression of interest from VCS, charity, parish, or
staff
3. Relevant authority reaches a decision on
the expression of interest
4. Authority either accepts, or accepts with modification and
then undertakes a procurement exercise, or rejects and a reason
for rejection published
1. Relevantservices are subject to challenge
Support for community rights front runners
Community budgets
• Giving people more control over services and budgets• redesigning services to focus on end results and the needs of user
not bureaucratic silos• Pilots - working with 10 neighbourhoods to develop budgets for
specific services
Milestones from here• Mar – Dec 2012: co-design work – providing the support and
collaborating to develop an NLCB operational plan for each pilot area
• Jan – Mar 2013: getting ready for implementation• Apr 2013: implementation
NCBs – sharing experiences and learning
Experiences of NCB pilot areas
• Still at the early stages• Town/parish councils provide roles and responsibilities ready
made• T&PCs - knowledge of community. Should they engage or
represent?• Importance of strategic/political buy in. • Finding/testing limits in terms of what can and can’t be done• No definite answers yet – still discovering• Is Govt getting in the in the way? No specific requests for Govt to
do things differently yet.