Issue - meetings

Report of Interim Chief Executive

Summary

To consider the opportunities and issues for the district which are created through the Localism Bill 2010.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)               To note the contents of the Localism Bill 2010 and consider any issues and communications they wish to make to the Secretary of State and/or local Members of Parliament.

(2)               To request officers to provide update briefings to the Executive as the Bill continues on its legislative passage.

(3)               To request officers to bring forward any opportunities for pilot projects as and when they arise including any legal, risk and financial implications.

Recommendations Approved, subject to the following amendment:

Recommendation 2

(2)       To request officers to provide update briefings to the Executive as the Bill continues on its legislative passage and to draft a letter from the Leader of the Council to Tony Baldry MP highlighting the points raised by the Executive.

The Interim Chief Executive submitted a report which sought consideration of the opportunities and issues for the district which are created through the Localism Bill 2010.

The Chairman began by reminding Members that the Bill had been introduced as draft legislation and was unlikely to receive Royal Assent until late 2011 however it was useful for the Executive to consider the content of the Bill. 

Members considered the six key principles of the Bill and agreed that officers should be requested to draft a letter from the Leader on behalf of the council to Tony Baldry MP outlining the issues and questions the Executive had raised during the course of the discussion.

Resolved

(1)               That the contents of the Localism Bill 2010 be noted.

(2)               That officers be requested to provide update briefings to the Executive as the Bill continues on its legislative passage and to draft a letter from the Leader of the Council to Tony Baldry MP highlighting the points raised by the Executive.

(3)               That officers be requested to bring forward any opportunities for pilot projects as and when they arise including any legal, risk and financial implications.

Reasons

The Localism Bill provides many potential opportunities for Cherwell District Council to develop localism and to work towards ‘The Big Society’. Due to the way the Bill has been introduced it is inevitable the clauses will be subject to much amendment during its legislative passage and therefore may change quite dramatically from the analysis which is set out above, therefore a further report will be produced following the bill receiving Royal Assent.

Additionally, whilst the Bill contains many proposals aimed at enhancing democracy, these come at a real cost both in terms of the staffing resource to administer them but also in terms of budgets for instance the cost for a district wide referendum is estimated to be in excess of £150,000.

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