Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

My Lords, before the Minister speaks formally to her amendment and replies to the others, it may be appropriate for me to say a few words about the amendments. We have debated this issue in Grand Committee and on Report. Indeed, my noble friend Lord Hanningfield unsuccessfully sought the support of noble Lords on a similar amendment. It remains the view of the Opposition that if we are to have regional strategies—and it is our view that we should not—we must involve and consult the relevant local authorities. Local authorities are just that: local. They are the bedrock of local democracy. The Government presented this Bill, and defended it in this House, as strengthening local democracy. It is our view that, to do so properly, they ought to have much more regard to involving local authorities in the decisions that will affect them. My noble friend Lord Hanningfield and I have sought to protect the position of local authorities, so that they cannot simply be ignored and overruled by central government. We have especially sought to protect the position of the different tiers. For that reason, I am more attracted to Amendment 52, in the names of the noble Lord, Lord Tope, and the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, which was proposed by the County Councils Network, over Amendment 51 in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Judd. Amendment 52 explicitly refers to, among others, county councils and, where there is no county council, district councils. We support the right of these councils to be involved in the revision of regional strategies.