Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government why the deadline for payment of parish council election costs has been brought forward into the same year as the elections; and what assessment they have made of the implications of this change for the ability of parish councils to accurately predict their budgets.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The costs of any local elections are to be met locally. Elections (whether to principal local authorities, or to parish and town councils) are administered by returning officers, who recover their expenditure of the election from the principal authority. The principal authority may then, if it chooses, require the parish council in turn to meet those costs.
It is for each principal authority to decide whether to require payment for all or part of the cost of a parish election or by-election, and to set deadlines for this payment.
Parish councils are responsible for ensuring that they have sufficient income to meet their costs and can do so by charging a precept on council tax. We recognise that parish councils do not take the decision to increase precepts lightly.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of reports that the statutory costs for parish council elections have risen by up to 80 per cent even without a contested election; and, if so, why they consider this has come about.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The costs of any local elections are to be met locally. Elections (whether to principal local authorities, or to parish and town councils) are administered by returning officers, who recover their expenditure of the election from the principal authority. The principal authority may then, if it chooses, require the parish council in turn to meet those costs.
It is for each principal authority to decide whether to require payment for all or part of the cost of a parish election or by-election, and to set deadlines for this payment.
Parish councils are responsible for ensuring that they have sufficient income to meet their costs and can do so by charging a precept on council tax. We recognise that parish councils do not take the decision to increase precepts lightly.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the possibility of changes to costs for parish councils putting some councils into deficit; and any resultant effects on local democracy.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The costs of any local elections are to be met locally. Elections (whether to principal local authorities, or to parish and town councils) are administered by returning officers, who recover their expenditure of the election from the principal authority. The principal authority may then, if it chooses, require the parish council in turn to meet those costs.
It is for each principal authority to decide whether to require payment for all or part of the cost of a parish election or by-election, and to set deadlines for this payment.
Parish councils are responsible for ensuring that they have sufficient income to meet their costs and can do so by charging a precept on council tax. We recognise that parish councils do not take the decision to increase precepts lightly.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the decision by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on 5 December 2024 to approve the demolition of the Marks & Spencer building on Oxford Street, how they took into account (1) the architectural interest of the building, and (2) the increased climate change impact of a demolition and rebuild over a conventional refit, when considering the proposal.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Full reasons for the Secretary of State’s decision are set out in the decision letter and Inspector’s Report published on 5 December 2024.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework, what expert guidance they intend to seek in defining the criteria for well-designed buildings and places.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As the Housing and Planning Minister said in his written statement on 12 November ‘We want exemplary development to be the norm not the exception so that more communities feel the benefits of new development and welcome it. As we act to boost housing supply, we are therefore determined to take steps to improve the design and quality of the homes and neighbourhoods being built.’
The National Design Guide and National Model Design Code set out ten characteristics of well-designed places and how to achieve good design in the planning system. The department intends to update this guidance in Spring 2025 and will test this with urban design experts and practitioners from local authorities and the private sector. We also intend to establish quarterly Steering Boards on design and placemaking, ensuring that our work is guided by those with relevant professional and practical expertise.
We will continue to bolster design skills and capacity through the £46 million package of capacity and capability support provided to local planning authorities. This will be used to fund the recruitment and training of 300 graduate and apprentice planners, along with the £1 million funding to Public Practice for the recruitment of planners, architects and urban designers. Together, this framework provides a clear basis for the delivery of more high-quality, well-designed homes.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to strengthen the capacity of local planning authorities in the light of their commitment to recruit 300 additional planning officers by 2026, and in order to increase access to qualified design expertise.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
My department intends to update the National Design Guide and National Model Design Code in Spring 2025, and we will continue to bolster design skills and capacity through the £46 million package of capacity and capability support provided to local planning authorities. This will be used to fund the recruitment and training of 300 graduate and apprentice planners, along with £1 million of funding to Public Practice for the recruitment of planners, architects and urban designers.
Together, this framework provides a clear basis for the delivery of more high-quality, well-designed homes.
Additionally, our commitment to recruit 300 additional planners, taken alongside wider planning policy changes, will help us to deliver the housing and economic growth this country desperately needs.
We are also developing a wider programme of support, working with partners across the planning sector, to ensure that local planning authorities have the skills, including around design, both now and in the future.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 23 October (HL1457), whether their first principle when considering changes to the Party Wall Act 1996 will be "do no harm".
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
His Majesty’s Government is committed to keeping the Party Wall Act under continuous review.
Government officials maintain records of correspondence on the Party Wall Act from parliamentarians and members of the public alike, noting any recommendations concerning the efficacy and application of the act to ensure that any necessary changes can be carefully considered and effectively addressed. No date or decision has been made to review the party wall act. If and when the act is reviewed it would require an open public consultation.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 23 October (HL1457), when they expect to make a decision on changes to be made in relation to the Party Wall Act 1996.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
His Majesty’s Government is committed to keeping the Party Wall Act under continuous review.
Government officials maintain records of correspondence on the Party Wall Act from parliamentarians and members of the public alike, noting any recommendations concerning the efficacy and application of the act to ensure that any necessary changes can be carefully considered and effectively addressed. No date or decision has been made to review the party wall act. If and when the act is reviewed it would require an open public consultation.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 23 October (HL1457), what steps they are taking to keep the Party Wall Act 1996 under continuous review; who they are engaging with to do so; which stakeholders will they be engaging with; and what steps they will take to ensure that there is adequate engagement with the public.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
His Majesty’s Government is committed to keeping the Party Wall Act under continuous review.
Government officials maintain records of correspondence on the Party Wall Act from parliamentarians and members of the public alike, noting any recommendations concerning the efficacy and application of the act to ensure that any necessary changes can be carefully considered and effectively addressed. No date or decision has been made to review the party wall act. If and when the act is reviewed it would require an open public consultation.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in relation to the 1.5 million houses they plan to build in the next 5 years, (1) how many people are homeless in the UK at present, and (2) whether they have mapped where the housing is needed.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 31 March 2024 there were 117,450 households in Temporary Accommodation in England.
The proposed local housing need figures for each local authority in England are set out in the 'Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and other changes to the planning system' consultation documents.
To support our commitment to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation, we are also proposing reforms to the NPPF that are designed to support the delivery of affordable housing, including ensuring that councils can prioritise the types of affordable homes their communities need. These can be found at gov.uk.