Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Evans of Rainow Excerpts

Monday 21st October 2013 Commons Chamber

[Graham Evans (Weaver Vale) (Con)]

22. What steps he is taking to promote the take-up of the community rights introduced by the Localism Act 2011.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Stephen Williams)]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to our colleague, my hon. Friend the Member for South East Cornwall (Sheryll Murray), in Question 5.

[Graham Evans]

Will the Minister explain how his Department is providing information, guidance and funding to help community groups in my constituency to exercise their rights?

[Stephen Williams]

Yes. The Department has so far made £60 million available to communities to support them in taking up their community rights. I advise the hon. Gentleman to advise his constituents to look at the booklet we have published, “You’ve got the power”, and—more likely—at the website, mycommunityrights. org.uk.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Pickles]

I congratulate the hon. Lady on having the dexterity to put her own council’s name into the handout, but before she arrived, that question had already been answered.

[Graham Evans (Weaver Vale) (Con)]

T8. Following analysis by SPARSE Rural, it has come to light that Cheshire West and Chester council received £273 core Government funding per head; that neighbouring Liverpool council received £635; and that Manchester city council received £584. Will the Minister commit to investigating whether Cheshire West and Chester council is getting the support it needs to provide the services it is bound to deliver?

[Brandon Lewis]

I admire my hon. Friend’s work in championing his area, and I am pleased he highlighted how Liverpool council has among the highest spending powers per head in the country. I am happy to meet him and representatives from his council, but I would point out, as we said in a debate a couple of weeks ago, that an independent report in the House of Commons Library this year showed that the funding settlement was fair not just to north and south, but to rural and urban areas.