Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

Amendment 165ZC would insert a new clause that would amend the Sustainable Communities Act, albeit only very little. It is there as a basis for questioning what is happening with that legislation. When it was passed, an awful lot of people seemed to put their faith in it. They now feel that the Government may be dragging their feet. Section 6(9) of the Act provides that: "““The Secretary of State must make the first arrangements under this section within the period of 18 months beginning with the day on which this Act is passed””." That was 23 October 2007, so we are coming up to the end of the 18 months this spring. Reading the Act, I realised that I was unclear whether the first arrangements were the arrangements for the first authorities, the first arrangements for all authorities, or quite what. It is appropriate to ask, first, how the Government see that admirably short legislation fitting with the Bill, because they must have much ground in common, and, secondly, what progress is being made. I had understood that the Government were intending to make the first arrangements last autumn, well ahead of the April 2009 deadline, and that local authorities have until 31 July to make proposals via the Local Government Association, which is the selector under the Bill. The directors’ letter to local authorities, which supplements the Secretary of State’s and which was on the website this morning, said that the Government cannot be precise about how quickly decisions will be made, so I am using this opportunity to ask, importantly, how the two pieces of legislation fit together and for a brief progress report. I beg to move.