Political Bulletin

Week commencing 5th July 2010

Development, Planning and Property News

• Local authorities botch £1.4billion worth of s106 claims
  
  Local authorities are missing out on a total of £1.4bn in possible planning obligations as a result of poorly managing the complexities around Section 106 agreements according to research published by software provider IDOX.
  
  The figures, based on Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA) statistics, estimate that 5% of deliverable Section 106 income, or £1.4bn, is being lost by councils.
  
  In 2007-08, councils had access to a total of £27.9 billion of unspent value from s106 agreements on their books. IDOX calculated that around five per cent of that total value, around £1.4 billion, is lost as a result of problems in tracking paperwork from these deals and because of changes in personnel and IT problems.
  



• Cable car proposed for Thames
  
  A cable car is being planned for a Thames river crossing between the Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks in London.
  
  
  
  Boris Johnson is looking for the £25million required to fund it.

Department for Communities and Local Government

• Pickles touts "Double Devolution”
  
  In a speech made last last week, Eric Pickles reiterated the coalitions Ministers’ vision of localism. He said, "Whatever your politics this is the most exciting time to be in local government. For too long central government treated local government like a lapdog: feeding it scraps with one hand, while keeping it on a tight leash with the other. That's not how our relationship is going to work. I have too much respect for local government for that. I trust you - the councillors - to make right decisions for your community. We can build a Big Society and make localism a reality.
  
  "I want to see double devolution, not just transferring power from central government to local authorities, but for power to transfer down to individuals and communities.
  
  "I say to you as new councillors - don't hang around waiting for instructions from central government. The opportunities for you to exercise real power, make real decisions, make a real difference in your community are there for the taking."
  

London Mayor and Assembly

• Boris advisor hints at future of London HCA
  
  Anthony Browne, Mayoral Advisor for Economic Development, has revealed new proposals to absorb the HCA and LDA.
  
  He said, "The proposals, which would be subject to government approval and changes in legislation, would see the London region of the Homes and Communities Agency devolved to the GLA, and the functions of the London Development Agency (LDA) folded into the GLA. This would create a London housing and regeneration body, which would be an executive arm of the GLA, meaning that the LDA would no longer exist as a separate organisation, although its functions would continue."