Key measures to increase the power of local government through the Act include:
Introducing a new general power of competence, giving councils freedom to work together to improve services and drive down costs. Councils are now free to do anything – provided they do not break other laws
Opening the door for the transfer of power to major cities to develop their areas, improve local services, and boost their local economies
Ending the system for overseeing the behaviour of councillors by abolishing the Standards Board
Clarifying the rules on predetermination in order to free up councillors to express their opinions on issues of local importance without the fear of legal challenge
Enabling councils to return to the committee system of governance, if they wish, regardless of
Giving councils greater control over business rates. Councils will have the power to offer business rate discounts, which could help attract firms, investment and jobs. It stops plans to impose a business rate supplement on firms if a simple majority of those affected do not give their consent, and simplifies the process for claiming small business rate relief
Introducing new planning enforcement rules, giving councils the ability to take action against people who deliberately conceal unauthorised development
Increasing powers for councils to remove illegal advertisements and graffiti and prevent fly-posting, and giving planning authorities stronger powers to tackle abuses of the planning system
Reforming homelessness legislation to enable councils to provide good quality private rented homes where appropriate, freeing up social homes for people in need on the waiting list
Allowing councils to keep the rent they collect and use it locally to maintain social homes through the abolition of the housing revenue account
Passing greater powers over housing and regeneration to local democratically elected representatives in London.
Key measures to increase the power of local communities include:
Introducing a new Right to Bid, which will give residents the opportunity to take over local assets like shops and pubs
Introducing a new Right to Challenge, making it easier for local groups with good ideas to put them forward and drive improvements in local services
Removing the ability of councils to charge families for overfilling their bin and to introduce extra tariffs for taking away household waste
Increasing transparency on local pay, by requiring councils to publish the salaries of senior officials working in local authorities,
Giving communities the right to veto excess council tax rises.
Introducing a new right to draw up a neighbourhood plan, giving local people a voice to say where they think new houses, businesses and shops should go – and what they should look like
Enabling communities to bring forward proposals for development they want – such as homes, shops, playgrounds or meeting halls, through the Community Right to Build
Abolition of Home Information Packs.
Enabling people to swap their social home, for example because they wish to move jobs. A national home swap scheme will give access to details of all other tenants who may be a match
Giving social tenants stronger tools to hold their landlords to account. Landlords will be expected to support tenant panels – or similar bodies – so tenants can carefully examine the services being offered.
The Tenant Services Authority will be abolished
Requiring developers to consult local communities before submitting certain applications.
abolishing the Infrastructure Planning Commission,
Localism Act – key measures
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