Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to enable leaseholders to hold management companies to account for service charges.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statements made on 4 July 2025 (HCWS780) and 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to enable homeowners to challenge increases in fees from management companies.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statements made on 4 July 2025 (HCWS780) and 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the importance of the upgrade to junction 10 of the M5 to the Cheltenham Tewkesbury and Gloucester Strategic Local Plan.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The deliverability of local plans, including in relation to the provision of essential infrastructure, is tested by Inspectors during local plan examinations. It will be for the inspectors to determine the importance of different infrastructure required to deliver the plan.
In my letter to the Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate on 9 October 2025, which can be found on gov.uk here, I stressed the importance of Inspectors approaching examinations of plans prepared in the current plan-making system with the appropriate degree of flexibility. Expectations around the evidencing of whether the legal and soundness tests have been met should be proportionate to the context in which plans in the existing system are being prepared.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of allowing an exemption from Selective Licensing Schemes to be granted to leaseholders whose properties are within the Cladding Safety Scheme.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has made no such assessment. We will continue to keep selective licensing regulations under review.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Gloucester City Council's finances on local government reorganisation in Gloucestershire.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We have made no such assessment at this stage. On 28 November we received proposals for unitary councils from Gloucestershire councils, which included information on efficiencies and financial sustainability. Decisions on the most appropriate option for each area will be judgements in the round, having regard to the statutory guidance, responses to the statutory consultation and the available evidence.
Gloucester City Council have indicated publicly that they may need to seek Exceptional Financial Support from Government. The Department stands ready to talk to any council that is worried about its financial position.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department intends to publish the Future Homes Standard.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government understands the urgency of introducing new energy efficiency standards so that as many homes as possible are highly efficient and use low-carbon heating. We are carefully considering at what level to set the technical requirements of the Future Homes Standard to deliver an ambitious standard that is on track to achieve our net zero ambitions while also being achievable across the country. The Future Homes Standard will be delivered in the coming months.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consideration his Department has given to allowing interested third parties to seek a review of administrative planning conditions.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Conditions on planning applications can be challenged by the applicant through appeal, but not by a third party.
Third parties can make representations on planning applications during the consultation stage and through engagement with the local planning authority.
In making a decision on a planning application, the local planning authority must have considered all the representations made and must take into account those views.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of requiring the disclosure of the true beneficiary of a planning application to enhance public scrutiny.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Planning permissions relate to plots of land and so the identity of the applicant and the ownership of land are not normally material considerations in planning decisions. Disclosure of the true beneficiary of a planning permission would therefore not affect the outcome of a planning decision.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his Department’s policy is on the alignment of mayoral combined authority boundaries and integrated care board boundaries, in the context of (a) devolution and (b) NHS reorganisation.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The English Devolution White Paper was clear that our long-term ambition is for public service boundaries, including those of health and strategic authorities, to align. We remain committed to this goal, and the 10 Year Health Plan sets out our aim that Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) should be coterminous with one or more strategic authorities wherever feasibly possible.
The Department of Health and Social Care will work closely with NHS England and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to decide any further ICB mergers and boundary changes.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of property businesses that do not adequately renovate town centre commercial properties on economic growth.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There are no plans to make such an assessment. However, the National Planning Policy Framework supports the role of high streets and town centres, by expecting local plans to create a positive framework for their growth and adaptation.
This Government is fully committed to rejuvenating our high streets. To address the blight of vacancy, the Government has implemented High Street Rental Auctions, which empowers local authorities in England to auction the lease of persistently vacant commercial high street properties.