Agenda item

            The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Corporate and Policy which informed Members of the provisions of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 and reported on a consultation on local spending reports pursuant to the Act.

            It was advised that the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 was introduced to parliament as a Private Bill. In summary –

1)     Local authorities were invited to make suggestions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government aimed at improving the sustainability of local communities. Suggestions must promote economic, social and environmental well-being.

2)     Local authorities would be able to request Local Spending Reports to help them to prioritise actions. These reports would show all of the Government spending in their communities from Government Departments and their agencies.

3)     The Act formally changed the name “Community Strategies” (as set out in the Local Government Act 2000) to “Sustainable Community Strategies”.

            The Board was advised that under the provisions of the Act, the Secretary of State had invited Local Authorities to make proposals which they considered would contribute to promoting the sustainability of local communities. It was advised that the expectation was that most proposals would originate from community organisations, parties and town councils, neighbourhood forums, residents and tenants associations, local strategic partnerships and other partnership bodies. It was further noted that proposals could also be developed by Councils themselves.

            The Board was informed that there was no limit on the types of proposals that local authorities could make to the Secretary of State. It was noted that they could include a request for a transfer of functions from one body to another (for example from a national to a local body or from one local body to another). This could be accompanied by a request for transfer of funding linked to that function. In making such a proposal a local authority would have first to consult with both bodies concerned. It was noted there was no specific budget associated with this Act and proposals could be made requiring new funding but generally they would need to be resourced from existing public funds.

            The Board was further advised that before submitting a proposal to the Government for consideration, the local authority must first establish and consult with a panel of “representatives of local persons”. Statutory guidance required that persons from under-represented groups were included on such a panel. It was noted that for the purposes of the Act “representatives of local persons” meant a balanced selection of individuals, groups or organisations likely to be affected by or have an interest in the proposal. It did not refer to formally elected or nominated members of the community.

            It was advised that the deadline for submission of proposals to the LGA was 31^st July 2009. It was noted the LGA planned to consult on some draft criteria for short listing proposals in March 2009 and to publish a final proposal form in April allowing three months for local consultation and decision making before the submission deadline. It was further noted that there would be further rounds for submission on proposals but no timetable had yet been set.

            The Board also considered that the Act required the Secretary of State to make arrangements for the production of Local Spending Reports. These reports provided information about public spending in relation to a particular area. It was noted that this was intended to “promote the sustainability of local communities by providing access to high quality information about the public funding that was spent in the area”. The Government expected this provision to provide greater transparency and accountability.

            It was reported that the Government had recently published a consultation on proposals for local spending reports. The consultation period would end on 15^th May 2009. The consultation pointed out that the statutory requirement was potentially complex and expensive and suggested that the “first arrangement” would make use of information currently available and through the consultation it could be assessed how reports should be developed over time.

            It was advised that the Government proposed that the first arrangement should comprise a list of items of expenditure for all local authorities, police authorities, fire and rescue authorities and primary care trusts. It was proposed that the items of expenditure would be broken down into more detailed tables as currently set out in the revenue out-turn returns made to Central Government.

            The Board was advised of a response that would be sent to the consultation indicating that to be of any use, the reports must set out what was spent by agencies and Government departments. The proposed responses to the consultation questions were appended to the report for Members’ consideration.

            RESOLVED: That

1)     a seminar be held for all Members to consider how the Council might respond to promoting sustainability within the framework of the Act;

2)     the matter be discussed at the Halton Strategic Partnership Board; and

3)     the draft response to the consultation on local spending reports set out in the in appendix be agreed.