Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill

moved Amendment No. 194A: 194A: Before Clause 77, insert the following new Clause— ““CHAPTER A1 Exemption of London Exemption of London Notwithstanding any rule of law or enactment to the contrary there shall be no parish councils in London.”” The noble Baroness said: I shall speak also to Amendments Nos. 204D and 204E. They would all remove the London boroughs from consideration for parish councils. Currently there are no parish councils in London and it is only with the advent of this Bill that they could become established in the capital. There are already numerous levels and offshoots of government in London—the Greater London Authority, the existing borough councils, and some neighbourhood associations within existing community council structures. The previous Secretary of State, Mr Miliband, has spoken of ““double devolution””, while the White Paper referred to giving further choice, but I cannot see how introducing yet another layer of local government and organisation into London will benefit communities or generate healthier local opposition. A paper on the implications of introducing parish councils in London commissioned by the Association of London Government, before it became London Councils, expressed deep concern that the uptake of parish councils would be disparate and favour those communities which already possess a secure identity rather than aiding communities which could benefit from a more cohesive local identity. Local councils expressed further reservations that introducing parish councils in London could undermine service provision and put community cohesion at risk by being adopted in a patchwork manner. That paper explores whether parish councils could benefit London, highlighting some concerns among London boroughs about introducing these and potentially undermining the existing neighbourhood-based arrangements set up by many councils in the capital. Broadly, the amendments would remove London councils from being considered as appropriate for parish councils. I beg to move.