Localism Bill Committee announce programme

The Committee will then consider the Bill every Tuesday and Thursday from that point concluding on Thursday 10 March (apart from the week beginning 21 February when the House of Commons will not be sitting).

• Second reading of Localism Bill, have your say

Programme and witnesses

Tuesday 25 January

in the Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House

• Watch the morning Committee meeting
• Watch the afternoon Committee meeting

at 9.30am

• Local Government Association, Localis, Centre for Local Economic Strategies and Local Government Information Unit

at 11.00am

• Civic Voice, Cllr Keith Barrow of Shropshire Council, Cllr Mike Jones of Cheshire West and Chester Council

at 11.30am

• SOLACE, New Local Government Network, Professor George Jones, Emeritus Professor of Government at the London School of Economics, Professor John Stewart, Emeritus Professor of Local Government and Administration at the University Birmingham

at 12.15pm

• Greater London Authority, London Councils and Unison

at 4.00pm

• Chartered Institute for Housing, Shelter, National Housing Federation, Brent Private Tenants Rights Group and Tenant Services Authority

at 5.00pm

• Barratt Developments, Redrow, Taylor Wimpey and Emerson Group

at 6.00pm

• Homebuilders Federation, British Property Federation, National Federation of ALMOs and British Land

Thursday 27 January

in the Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House

at 9.00am

• Confederation of British Industry, British Chambers of Commerce and Federation of Small Businesses

at 12.30pm

• Campaign to Protect Rural England, The Country Land and Business Association, Action with Communities in Rural England, Simon Marsh representing both the RSPB and Wildlife and Countryside Link

at 1.15pm

• Town and Country Planning Association, Planning Officers Society and Royal Town Planning Institute and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors

at 2.00pm

• National Association of Local Councils, National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, National Association for Voluntary and Community Action and Open Spaces Society

at 2.45pm

• Department for Communities and Local Government

Line by line scrutiny of the Bill

Committee Room 12, Palace of Westminster

Tuesday 1 February 10.30am and 4.00pm
Thursday 3 February 9.00am and 1.00pm
Tuesday 8 February 10.30am and 4.00pm
Thursday 10 February 9.00am and 1.00pm
Tuesday 15 February 10.30am and 4.00pm
Thursday 17 February 9.00am and 1.00pm
Tuesday 1 March 10.30am and 4.00pm
Thursday 3 March 9.00am and 1.00pm
Tuesday 8 March 10.30am and 4.00pm
Thursday 10 March 9.30am and 1.00pm

The Committee must complete consideration of the Bill no later than 4pm on Thursday 10 March.

These sessions will be open to the public on a first come, first served basis. There is no system for the prior reservation of seats in Committee Rooms.

It is advisable to allow about 20 minutes to pass through security checks. Timings and room numbers are subject to change.

Further Information

The Scrutiny Unit can help with any queries about oral evidence.

• Scrutiny Unit
• About Parliament: General Committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch Committees

Key areas of the Bill

• Bills before Parliament 2010-11: Localism Bill 
• About Parliament: Passage of a Bill

Summary of the Bill

• Provisions in relation to local government, including a general power of competence for local authorities and relevant Fire and Rescue Authorities, changes to local authority governance arrangements  including provision for directly elected mayors, the abolition of the Standards Board regime, and requirements for  local authorities to set senior pay policy statements.
• Provisions  relating to community empowerment, including  giving people, councillors and councils the power to instigate local referendums on any local issue and a power to approve or veto in a referendum a council tax increase deemed to be excessive, and enabling voluntary and community bodies and others to express an interest in running a local authority service, and local community groups to bid or buy buildings or land which are listed as assets of community value,
• Reform of the planning system; including provisions to abolish regional strategies, provide for neighbourhood development orders and plans, make pre-application consultation compulsory, and make changes to planning enforcement.
• Provisions to reform social housing including measures to offer flexible tenancies for new social tenants; create a new system of council housing finance; provide assistance for tenants to exchange their social rented property; and transfer the functions of the Tenant Service Authority to the Homes and Communities Agency.
• Abolition of the Home Information Pack.
• Provisions for London that provide the Mayor with additional powers relating to housing and regeneration.
• Abolition of the London Development Agency.