Sustainable Communities Bill

With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: new clause 2—Decision on short-list— ‘(1) Before inviting proposals under section [Proposals by local authorities], the Secretary of State must appoint a person (the ““selector””) to consider the proposals and, in co-operation with the Secretary of State, draw up a short-list of proposals in accordance with regulations under section [Proposals: regulations]. (2) The selector must be a person who represents the interests of local authorities. (3) On receiving the short-list from the selector, the Secretary of State must decide which, if any, of the proposals on the short-list should be implemented. (4) Before making a decision under subsection (3) the Secretary of State must consult the selector and try to reach agreement.’. Amendment (a) to the proposed new clause, in subsection (3), leave out ‘if any’. New clause 3— Action plans— ‘(1) The Secretary of State must publish— (a) the decision under section [Decision on short-list](3) and the reasons for it, and (b) with the decision, a statement of the action the Secretary of State proposes to take with a view to the implementation of any proposal. (2) A statement published under subsection (1)(b) is referred to in this section as an action plan. (3) The Secretary of State must publish and lay before Parliament a report, describing the progress which has been made in relation to any action plan, within the period of one year following the publication of the action plan and at intervals of not more than one year thereafter. (4) Subsection (3) does not apply in relation to an action plan if the action plan has been implemented.’. New clause 4— Proposals: regulations— ‘(1) The Secretary of State must make regulations about the procedure to be followed in relation to proposals under section [Proposals by local authorities]. (2) Before making regulations the Secretary of State must consult— (a) the selector, and (b) such other persons who represent the interests of local authorities as the Secretary of State thinks fit. (3) Regulations may, in particular— (a) specify, or authorise the selector to specify, steps to be taken by a local authority before making proposals; (b) specify steps to be taken by the selector in considering the proposals and drawing up a short-list; (c) require the selector to prepare, and give to the Secretary of State, a report on the proposals. (4) Regulations must— (a) require a local authority, before making any proposal under section [Proposals by local authorities], either— (i) to establish a panel of representatives of local persons and consult it about the proposal, or (ii) to consult representatives of local persons in accordance with another enactment mentioned in the regulations (and an enactment that has not yet come into force for other purposes is deemed to have come into force for the purposes of the regulations), (b) require a local authority to try to reach agreement about proposals with the panel or other persons consulted under paragraph (a), and (c) require a local authority to have regard to any guidance issued under subsection (5). (5) The Secretary of State must issue guidance to local authorities about making proposals, which— (a) must include guidance about the inclusion among representatives of local persons (for the purposes of subsection (4)(a)(i) or (ii)) of persons from under-represented groups, (b) may include other guidance about establishing and consulting a panel of representatives of local persons, and (6) Before issuing or revising guidance under subsection (5) the Secretary of State must consult— (a) local authorities, or (b) persons who represent the interests of local authorities. (7) For the purposes of subsection (2) or (6) any consultation undertaken before the day on which this Act is passed is as effective as it would have been if undertaken after that day. (8) In this section— ““local person”” means, in relation to a proposal by a local authority under section [Proposals by local authorities], a person who is likely to be affected by, or interested in, the proposal; ““panel”” means a panel constituted in accordance with regulations; ““representative”” means, in relation to local persons, a person who appears to the local authority to be representative of the local persons; ““under-represented groups”” has the meaning given by regulations. (9) Regulations under this section— (a) must be made by statutory instrument, and (b) are subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.’. Amendment (a) to the proposed new clause, in subsection (4)(a)(i), after ‘establish’, insert ‘or recognise’. Amendment (c) to the proposed new clause, in subsection (4)(a), leave out sub-paragraph (ii). Amendment No. 3, page 1, line 9, clause 1, leave out ‘principal councils’ and insert ‘local authorities’. Amendment No. 4, page 2, line 1, leave out Clause 2. Amendment No. 5, page 2, line 2, clause 2, leave out ‘principal councils’ and insert ‘local authorities’. Amendment No. 6, page 2, line 8, clause 2, leave out ‘principal councils’ and insert ‘local authorities’. Amendment No. 7, page 2, line 13, clause 2, leave out ‘principal councils’ and insert ‘local authorities’. Amendment No. 8, page 2, line 25, clause 2, leave out ‘principal councils’ and insert ‘local authorities’. Amendment No. 9, page 2, line 42, clause 2, leave out ‘principal councils’ and insert ‘local authorities’. Amendment No. 10, page 3, line 4, leave out clause 3. Amendment No. 11, page 3, line 5, clause 3, leave out ‘principal council’ and insert ‘local authority’. Amendment No. 12, page 3, line 10, clause 3, leave out ‘principal council’s’ and insert ‘local authority’s’. Amendment No. 14, page 3, line 17, clause 3, leave out ‘council’s’ and insert ‘authority’s’. Amendment No. 15, page 3, line 28, clause 3, leave out ‘principal council’ and insert ‘local authority’. Amendment No. 16, page 3, line 34, clause 3, leave out ‘council’ and insert ‘authority’. Amendment No. 17, page 3, line 37, clause 3, leave out ‘council’s’ and insert ‘authority’s’. Amendment No. 18, page 3, line 41, clause 3, leave out ‘principal council’ and insert ‘local authority’. Amendment No. 20, page 3, line 44, clause 3, leave out ‘principal council’ and insert ‘local authority’. Amendment No. 21, page 4, line 10, clause 4, leave out ‘principal council’ and insert ‘local authority’. Amendment No. 26, page 4, line 31, clause 5, leave out ‘principal council’ and insert ‘local authority’. Amendment No. 27, page 4, line 33, clause 5, leave out ‘council’ and insert ‘authority’. Amendment No. 28, page 4, line 35, clause 5, leave out ‘council’ and insert ‘authority’. Amendment No. 29, page 4, line 36, clause 5, leave out ‘principal council’ and insert ‘local authority’. Amendment No. 30, page 4, line 41, clause 5, leave out ‘council’ and insert ‘authority’. Amendment No. 31, page 4, line 42, clause 5, leave out ‘principal council’ and insert ‘local authority’. Amendment No. 32, page 5, line 4, clause 5, leave out ‘principal council’ and insert ‘local authority’. Amendment No. 33, page 5, line 7, clause 5, leave out ‘council’ and insert ‘authority’. Amendment No. 34, page 5, line 12, clause 5, leave out ‘principal council’ and insert ‘local authority’. Amendment No. 35, page 5, line 20, clause 6, leave out from ‘means’ to end of line 21 and insert ‘a county council in England, a district council, a London borough council, the Common Council of the City of London or the Council of the Isles of Scilly;’. Amendment No. 36, page 5, clause 6, leave out lines 22 to 27. Amendment No. 37, page 5, clause 6, leave out lines 30 to 34. Amendment No. 39, page 7, line 3 of the schedule, leave out ‘indicators’ and insert ‘matters’. Amendment No. 40, page 7, line 3 of the schedule, leave out ‘indicators referred to in section 2’ and insert ‘matters referred to in section [Proposals by local authorities]’. Amendment No. 41, page 7, line 10 of the schedule, leave out ‘principal council’ and insert ‘local authority’. Amendment No. 43, page 7, line 28 of the schedule, leave out paragraph (j). Amendment No. 42, in title, line 1, leave out from ‘provision’ to ‘and’ in line 8 and insert ‘about promoting the sustainability of local communities;’.