Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the overall percentage of business rate retention is and whether local authorities will be able to retain all of the new growth element announced in Autumn budget 2017.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
All authorities in England retain at least 50 per cent of their business rates income.
The Government remains committed to further business rates retention and is working collaboratively with the local government sector to deliver further retention and reform the system.
In the Autumn Budget 2017 a London pilot 100 per cent Business Rate Retention Scheme was announced and will commence in April 2018, as well as a continuation in the 2018/19 cycle for the five current 100 per cent business rates pilots.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether there will be a central formula to assist London boroughs in deciding where to invest the revenue growth from the 100 per cent business retention pilot.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
The 100 per cent business rates pilot in London will test how London boroughs are managing their business rates income under pooled arrangements. London boroughs will have the freedom to decide where to invest the potential revenue growth arising from the pilot, therefore allowing the boroughs more control over the money they raise locally in accordance with our manifesto commitment.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will issue planning guidance to ensure that all new developments of 300 homes or larger must be provided with a broadband connection by the developer.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The National Planning Framework Policy states that in preparing local plans local authorities should support the expansion of high-speed broadband and engage with developers and providers. In December 2014 we published “Better Connected”, a guide agreed between housing developers and utility companies which includes voluntary performance standards for the connection of broadband. Separately Government is also considering whether new buildings should be required to provide certain technology to ensure connections to broadband infrastructure.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on planning appeal costs being awarded against a district council when that appeal has been dismissed.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
All parties in planning appeals normally meet their own expenses. They are expected to behave reasonably to support an efficient and timely process, for example in providing all the required evidence and ensuring that timetables are met. Where a party has behaved unreasonably, and this has directly caused another party to incur unnecessary or wasted expense in the appeal process, they may be subject to an award of costs. A party applying for costs may have costs awarded against them, if they themselves have behaved unreasonably. It is a matter for the Planning Inspector, or the Secretary of State if a recovered decision, to determine applications for costs on a case-by-case basis.