The Localism Bill will change the way the country operates by giving councils and local people the power and incentives to play a positive role in democracy and the economy, Communities Minister Baroness Hanham said today.
The radical reforms in the Bill will create powerful incentives for economic growth; devolve greater power and freedoms to councils and neighbourhoods; establish powerful new rights for communities; deregulate and transform the planning system; and give local authorities more control over housing finance.
Baroness Hanham, leading for the Government in the Bill's first House of Lords debate today, will make clear that she, along with Lord Taylor of Holbeach and Earl Attlee, intend to take account of all views during the debate, and to develop the same consensus reached in the Commons wherever possible.
To help the general public, community groups and peers fully understand the effects of the Bill, a republished plain English guide will set out in a transparent and reader friendly way how it will restore civic pride through greater local democratic accountability and improve economic growth whilst protecting the environment and countryside.
The Bill will give people a stronger voice in local planning by abolishing regional strategies and their top down direction, including on developing urban extensions. Communities will be able to protect greenfield sites, as they plan for sustainable growth.
Today the coalition government committed to creating a new designation to protect green areas of particular importance to local communities through new Neighbourhood plans being created by the Bill.
The Bill will also give community groups greater opportunity to buy assets of community value. If assets listed as being important to local people come up for sale, community groups will be given time to put together a credible bid, before the vendor can continue with the sale.
Baroness Hanham said:
"This is an important Bill, with measures which will have a great impact on every aspect of the responsibilities of Local Government, and the rights of local people in the future.
"Where we are stripping away the old structures of bureaucratic accountability, we must ensure local people are able to hold their authorities to account. Responsibility and transparency are necessary counterparts to localism.
"Although the Town Hall plays a crucial role in local life, it is often the actions of local people - of conscientious neighbours and responsible residents - of volunteers and social entrepreneurs - who do a huge amount to make communities stronger.
"Most radically of all, the Bill will allow people to have a stronger say in planning at a more local level than ever before. Local people will share more in the benefits of development - through the New Homes Bonus and the Community Infrastructure Levy. Ultimately, we want local responsibility and local incentives to replace top down control, creating the right conditions for communities to welcome growth."