{"id":1355,"date":"2010-05-27T15:55:21","date_gmt":"2010-05-27T15:55:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ihbconline.co.uk\/newsachive\/?p=1355"},"modified":"2010-05-27T15:55:21","modified_gmt":"2010-05-27T15:55:21","slug":"ihbc-welcomes-%e2%80%98localism%e2%80%99-in-england%e2%80%99s-planning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=1355","title":{"rendered":"IHBC welcomes \u2018localism\u2019 in England\u2019s planning"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>The IHBC, the professional body for built and historic environment conservation specialists, has welcomed the Queen\u2019s Speech for its confirmation of a Bill to introduce &#8216;localism&#8217; into the planning system, and the opportunities that this will provide to support and develop essential local conservation services, but also raised concerns over the proposals that may mean less effective strategic planning.<\/div>\n<p>IHBC Chair Dave Chetwyn said of the proposed Bill: &#8220;We\u2019re very hopeful about the key principles of the \u2018localism\u2019 agenda, given the way it can help people shape the management of their local historic environment, and conservation officers have a central role to play in that management, but there are also widespread concerns over the potential loss of the infrastructure for more strategic planning, with insufficient recognition of the role it has played in underpinning integrated planning across regions.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Se\u00e1n O\u2019Reilly, IHBC Director, said: &#8220;There\u2019s substantial evidence that confirms the role and value of local conservation services, and our forthcoming sector Yearbook features these services. \u00a0Evidence from across cultural, planning and management sectors demonstrates clearly that that dedicated \u00a0conservation professionals, working \u00a0to local interests and aspirations\u00a0within and on behalf of local\u00a0authorities, can provide a unique and valuable resource for delivering the widest agendas of local government.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>CLG reports on the Queen\u2019s Speech as follows: A Bill that would shift power from the state to local communities and empower local people forms part of the Queen&#8217;s Speech.<\/p>\n<p>The Devolution and Localism Bill would set the foundations for the Big Society by shifting power from the central state back into the hands of individuals, communities and councils.<\/p>\n<p>Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles said: &#8220;This important Bill would shift power from the central state back into the hands of individuals, communities and councils. It will empower local people giving them more power over local government. It will free local government from central and regional control so that they can ensure services are delivered according to local needs.&#8221;<br \/>\nSome of the Coalition Agreement commitments would be legislated through the Localism Bill including:<br \/>\n&#8211; Returning decision-making powers on housing and planning to local councils by abolishing Regional Spatial Strategies;<br \/>\n&#8211; New powers for communities to help save local facilities and services threatened with closure, and the right to bid to take over local state-run services;<br \/>\n&#8211; Giving councils a general power of competence;<br \/>\n&#8211; Giving residents the power to instigate local referendums on any local issue and the power to veto excessive council tax increases;<br \/>\n&#8211; Greater financial autonomy to local government and community groups;<br \/>\n&#8211; Outright abolition of Home Improvement Packs;<br \/>\n&#8211; Create Local Enterprise Partnerships &#8211; joint local authority-business bodies to promote local economic development.<\/p>\n<p>Greg Clark, Minister for Decentralisation, added: &#8220;This Bill would reverse years of creeping state control and return power to people, communities and councils. We have an optimistic vision that supports people to work in the interests of their communities, rather than telling them what to do. When you decentralise power you unlock creativity and dynamism that gets better results, better services and better value for money. The state alone is often too monolithic and clumsy to tackle our deepest social problems and we believe that the best ideas come from the ground up, not the top down.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Communities News:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.communities.gov.uk\/newsstories\/newsroom\/1600142\"><strong>LINK<\/strong><\/a><br \/>\nPlanning Resource News:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.planningresource.co.uk\/news\/ByDiscipline\/Policy\/1005600\/Queens-Speech-confirms-planning-reform\/\"><strong>LINK<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The IHBC, the professional body for built and historic environment conservation specialists, has welcomed the Queen\u2019s Speech for its confirmation of a Bill to introduce &#8216;localism&#8217; into the planning system, and the opportunities that this will provide to support and &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=1355\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sector-newsblog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1355"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1355\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1356,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1355\/revisions\/1356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}