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Localism Bill receives Royal Assent

Localism Bill receives Royal assent

The Localism Bill has become a law signalling a historic shift in power from Whitehall back to the local community. The Act will trigger a transfer in power, releasing councils and communities from the grip of central government.

In the coming weeks and months the measures in the Localism Act will begin to come into effect. Many of the measures are expected to be in place by April 2012.

The main provisions of the Act include:

  • New Community Rights which will ensure that community organisations have a fair chance to bid to take over land and buildings that are important to them.
  • New rights to allow local communities to shape new development by coming together to prepare neighbourhood plans.
  • Enabling more decisions about housing are taken locally, and the system is fairer and more effective.
  • Allowing councils decide how best to help homeless people and decide how to manage their housing waiting lists.
  • Enabling Ministers to transfer public functions to local authorities in order to improve local accountability or promote economic growth.
  • A ‘general power of competence’. This gives local authorities the legal capacity to do anything an individual can do that isn’t specifically prohibited; they will not, for example, be able to impose new taxes, as an individual has no power to tax.

Secretary of State for Local Government and Communities Eric Pickles said:

“Today marks the beginning of an historic shift of power from Whitehall to every community to take back control of their lives. The Localism Act pulls down the Whitehall barricades so it will no longer call the shots over communities – bug bears like housing targets and bin taxes are gone.

Decentralisation Minister Greg Clark said:

“For the best part of a hundred years Parliament has been passing laws that increase the Government’s powers at the expense of people and communities. “This historic Act begins to reverse a hundred years of centralisation. It puts power into the hands of citizens, community groups and local councils. It breaks the monopoly on all new policy initiatives having to come from Whitehall by giving a new right of initiative to people in their local areas.

 

Read more about the provisions in the Localism Act

Click here for a guide to the Localism Bill

Click here for responses to the Localism Bill receiving Royal Assent

 

Amanda Frewin

Research & Project Support

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