Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill [HL]

We stand behind my noble friend Lord Cope and strongly support the amendment. As he says, its wording may not be quite to the Government’s liking, but it stipulates that one local authority must agree in writing to give away its power to another local authority when entering into a primary authority partnership. I remind noble Lords that I and others spoke at Second Reading about our apprehension that the primary authority partnership will spark much resentment when one local authority is empowered to take over the jurisdiction of another in relation to a multi-site business or, say, the description we have just had of a high street. I believe that acquiring written consent may lessen the inevitable resentment as it will hand back to the local authority some semblance of consultation and courtesy in the process.