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45198

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress he has made on measures to allow town and parish councils to send agendas electronically.
	tabling member constituency	Corby
	tabling member printed	Andy Sawford
	uin	193805
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Schedule 12 of the Local Government Act 1972 requires local authorities (both principal and parish councils) to send summonses to attend meetings by post. Reflecting the take-up of digital communications, Ministers are minded to issue an Order under Section 8 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000 to facilitate this being done electronically; although we do believe that councillors should continue to have a right to receive communications in hard copy by post should they wish, and that this should be reflected in any legislative change.</p><p>We will be undertaking an informal sounding shortly on the wording of any draft Order with key partners, including the Local Government Association and the National Association of Local Councils.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4265 label Biography information for Andy Sawford

45210

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government Response to Lord Heseltine's report No Stone Unturned: in Pursuit of Growth, when he expects to publish a draft legislative reform order to ensure that the current legislation on combined authorities is fit for purpose.
	tabling member constituency	Corby
	tabling member printed	Andy Sawford
	uin	193920
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p /> <p>As I told the House on 18 March 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, Column 704, and as my rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles) indicated on 3 March 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, Column 621, we are minded to amend legislation to allow councils that do not share the same boundaries to join a combined authority, if they wish. This change can be delivered through a Legislative Reform Order, subject to statutory consultation and approval of Parliament.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 07/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4265 label Biography information for Andy Sawford

46479

	registered interest
	date	02/04/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the financial effect on local authorities when the single tier state pension is introduced in 2016-17 and local authorities no longer receive a national insurance rebate from the contracting out of pensions.
	tabling member constituency	Corby
	tabling member printed	Andy Sawford
	uin	194998
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government is currently in discussions with the Local Government Association on this matter.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4265 label Biography information for Andy Sawford

48994

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects to announce the allocation of additional support to local authorities in England to support corporate counter-fraud activity.
	tabling member constituency	Corby
	tabling member printed	Andy Sawford
	uin	197204
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>We are currently working with a range of representatives from across the sector to identify the most effective mechanism for distributing the £16.6 million over 2014/15 – 2015/16 across local government to help local government combat fraud. We intend to make an announcement about our plans for this investment later in the spring.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 07/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4265 label Biography information for Andy Sawford

48454

	registered interest
	date	25/04/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the spending power is for (a) Wokingham Council and (b) Newcastle upon Tyne City Council in (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2014-15 and (iii) 2015-16.
	tabling member constituency	Corby
	tabling member printed	Andy Sawford
	uin	196704
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Thursday 1 May 2014]</em></p><p>Spending power figures by local authority are published as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement, which is laid before the House each year. This information is also reasonably accessible to the hon. Member on my Department's website at:</p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2014-to-2015" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2014-to-2015</a> (2014-15 and provisional 2015-16)</p><p><a href="http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1314/settle.htm" target="_blank">www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1314/settle.htm</a> (2013-14)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 09/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 8250 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4265 label Biography information for Andy Sawford

58387

	registered interest
	date	05/06/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Out of Town Shopping Centres: Northampton
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the reason is for the time taken to make a decision on the Rushden Lakes development; and when he plans to announce that decision.
	tabling member constituency	Corby
	tabling member printed	Andy Sawford
	uin	199254
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Secretary of State issued his decision on this case on 11 June. He has decided to grant planning permission for this development. A copy of the decision letter and the Inspector's report has been sent to the hon. Member and to other interested parties, and these documents are available on the GOV.UK website at:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/planning-applications-called-in-decisions-and-recovered-appeals" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/planning-applications-called-in-decisions-and-recovered-appeals</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 12/06/2014 16:37:00 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles previous answer version 467 answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4265 label Biography information for Andy Sawford

63858

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Council Tax Reduction Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of the localisation of council tax support on the operation and activities of parish and town councils.
	tabling member constituency	Corby
	tabling member printed	Andy Sawford
	uin	202394
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 5 February 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, Column 19-21WS, which sets out clearly the Government's intention that the element of localised council tax support funding provided to local authorities which reflects reductions in town and parish tax bases should be passed down to those councils.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I additionally wrote to Leaders of billing authorities on this issue on 6 January and 21 February 2014.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The design and management of council tax support schemes is a local matter, and it is for local councils to work together to ensure that any relevant impacts are understood and taken into account.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 202395 question first answered 01/07/2014 13:42:54 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4265 label Biography information for Andy Sawford

63859

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Council Tax Reduction Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that council tax support funding is passed on from billing authorities to parish and town councils in 2014-15.
	tabling member constituency	Corby
	tabling member printed	Andy Sawford
	uin	202395
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 5 February 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, Column 19-21WS, which sets out clearly the Government's intention that the element of localised council tax support funding provided to local authorities which reflects reductions in town and parish tax bases should be passed down to those councils.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I additionally wrote to Leaders of billing authorities on this issue on 6 January and 21 February 2014.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The design and management of council tax support schemes is a local matter, and it is for local councils to work together to ensure that any relevant impacts are understood and taken into account.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 202394 question first answered 01/07/2014 13:42:54 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4265 label Biography information for Andy Sawford

63861

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Queen's Park Community Council
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the performance of Queen's Park Community Council since its establishment on 1 April 2014; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Corby
	tabling member printed	Andy Sawford
	uin	202396
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>We have not made an assessment of the performance of the new Queen's Park Community Council since its establishment on 1 April. The new council had its first elections on 22 May 2014 and it is therefore still very early in the life of the council. Unlike the last Labour Government, we do not micro-manage the performance of councils.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 01/07/2014 13:46:27 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4265 label Biography information for Andy Sawford

63862

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Parish Councils
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to make parish and town councils aware of the general power of competence in the Localism Act 2011.
	tabling member constituency	Corby
	tabling member printed	Andy Sawford
	uin	202397
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>We are proud of our parish and town councils and the role they play in transforming public services. Any parish or town council can take steps to become eligible to use the general power of competence. When the general power of competence was commenced in February 2012 the Government produced guidance on using the power to hold prayers as part of the formal business at council meetings and wrote to the Society of Local Council Clerks. In July 2013, the Secretary of State addressed the Local Government Association/National Association of Local Councils conference on the general power of competence, encouraging all councils to use the power innovatively without looking to Whitehall for permission.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/general-power-of-competence-speech" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/general-power-of-competence-speech</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have worked with the National Association of Local Councils to update the mandatory training module required for clerks to be qualified, as part of eligibility criteria for parish councils to be able to use the general power of competence.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 01/07/2014 13:58:47 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4265 label Biography information for Andy Sawford