Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to grant additional powers to Plan for Neighbourhoods Boards beyond those of Town Deal Boards.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government set out a comprehensive, non-exhaustive list of the existing powers available to boards and local authorities in England in the published ‘policy toolkit’. The toolkit gives communities the tools and information they need to make informed decisions, empowering local people to have ownership over the future of their neighbourhood and local area. Similar toolkits for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be published shortly.
The Plan for Neighbourhoods programme focuses on three long-term aims - building thriving places, strengthening communities and empowering people to taking back control instead of sticking plaster policies. In addition to the list of powers available to boards, we have doubled the number of interventions on which communities can spend the money, compared to the previous government’s programme, to ensure areas can deliver on the objectives of the programme.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has issued on whether board members of local development boards should have (a) full access to and (b) summaries of (i) tenders and (ii) business plans.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
I would kindly ask the hon. Member to write to me with more details on ‘local development boards’, so my officials can look into this matter.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that local government reorganisation will not undermine progress made in improving healthcare outcomes in (a) Torbay and (b) other areas.
Answered by Jim McMahon
The Government is committed to building a fairer Britain, to ensure people can live well for longer, and spend less time in ill health, regardless of where they are born or their financial circumstances.
As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, government recognises the benefits that aligned geographical boundaries can have for improving co-ordination between public services. Within Integrated Care Systems, collaboration between local government and health partners is crucial to the delivery of high quality and efficient services for communities and patients.
On 5 February 2025 I formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries, including Torbay Council. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area. As set out in the published statutory guidance, unitary structures must prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to citizens, and the views of other public sector providers will be crucial to understanding the best way to structure local government.
Following submission of proposals to government, we will consider proposals carefully before taking decisions on how to proceed. Ministers regularly have meetings with colleagues across government.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 44062 on Members: correspondence, if she will meet with the hon. Member for Torbay to discuss the potential impact of local government reorganisation on (a) Torbay and (b) the South West.
Answered by Jim McMahon
We are happy to meet with the member on local government reorganisation and will be in touch to arrange this.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she is having with the Secretary of Health and Social Care to ensure that successful integrated care organisations (a) in Torbay and (b) in England are (i) preserved and (ii) not disrupted by local government restructuring.
Answered by Jim McMahon
The Government is committed to building a fairer Britain, to ensure people can live well for longer, and spend less time in ill health, regardless of where they are born or their financial circumstances.
As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, government recognises the benefits that aligned geographical boundaries can have for improving co-ordination between public services. Within Integrated Care Systems, collaboration between local government and health partners is crucial to the delivery of high quality and efficient services for communities and patients.
On 5 February 2025 I formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries, including Torbay Council. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area. As set out in the published statutory guidance, unitary structures must prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to citizens, and the views of other public sector providers will be crucial to understanding the best way to structure local government.
Following submission of proposals to government, we will consider proposals carefully before taking decisions on how to proceed. Ministers regularly have meetings with colleagues across government.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether funding allocated to Torbay to help tackle deprivation will be (a) protected and (b) ringfenced following local government reorganisation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
We remain committed to supporting the 75 places announced as part of the Plan for Neighbourhoods, including Torbay, throughout the reorganisation of local government.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department issues on whether community engagement should be carried out through distinct channels from business engagement as part of local development planning.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Planning Practice Guidance on plan-making, which can be found on gov.uk here, highlights the importance of local communities and interested parties being able to track the progress of local development plans through Local Development Schemes. These must be made available publicly by local planning authorities and kept up to date.
Together with Statements of Community Involvement, they outline how the local planning authority will engage and undertake public consultation in the preparation of the emerging local development plan, including with communities and other stakeholders.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to reply to correspondence of 17 January 2025 from the hon. Member for Torbay on local government reorganisation; and if she will meet with the hon. Member for Torbay to discuss this issue.
Answered by Jim McMahon
I will respond to the letter imminently.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to provide an Answer to Question 35806 on Resettlement: Afghanistan, tabled on 5 March 2025.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 35806 on 20 March 2025.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will meet with the hon. Member for Torbay to discuss the Afghan Resettlement Programme.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Please write to ministers to outline your area of interest for discussion on the Afghan Resettlement Programme. As this is a cross-government programme your area of interests will determine which department is best to respond.