The Government believes that it is time for a fundamental shift of power from Westminster to people. We are promoting decentralisation and democratic engagement, and we are ending the era of top-down government by giving new powers to local councils, communities, neighbourhoods and individuals.
- We are promoting the radical devolution of power and greater financial autonomy to councils, local residents and community groups.
- We are abolishing Regional Spatial Strategies and returning decision-making powers on housing and planning to local councils, and have given councils new powers to help stop unwanted ‘garden grabbing’.
- We are reforming the planning system to create sustainable growth and increase the availability of affordable housing while protecting and enhancing the environment and our heritage.
- We are abolishing the unelected Infrastructure Planning Commission and replacing it with an efficient and democratically accountable system that provides a fast-track process for major infrastructure projects.
- We have scrapped Labour’s unelected tiers of regional government, transferring power back to local communities.
- We are establishing Enterprise Zones with superfast broadband, lower taxes, and reduced red tape to help every part of the country to grow and realise its potential.
- We are enacting a range of measures to bring empty homes into productive use.
- We have scrapped costly Home Information Packs, saving money for people selling their homes.
- We are supporting the building of more homes through new incentives that will reward and support local development.
- We are helping people get on the property ladder, through the New Homes Bonus, £500 million FirstBuy scheme, releasing thousands of acres of previously used public land for housebuilding and a £4.5 billion affordable homes programme.
- We are reforming social housing through measures to tackle overcrowding and under-occupation, improve mobility and enable social landlords to target support where it is needed most.
- We are giving councils stronger powers to tackle unauthorised traveller sites and abuse of the planning system.
- We have doubled small business rate relief for two years, and are making it easier for small firms and small shops to claim rate relief.
- We are localising business rates to free councils from dependence upon central Government grant and give them a strong financial incentive to drive local economic growth, supporting local firms and creating local jobs.
- We have funded a council tax freeze in England for 2011-12, in partnership with local councils, bringing real help to hard-working families and pensioners.
- We are reviving local high streets by cutting red tape on businesses, easing Whitehall rules on parking charges and restrictions, extending business rate relief, and giving councils more powers to tackle anti-social behaviour.
- We are creating directly elected mayors in the England’s largest cities, subject to confirmatory referendums and full scrutiny by elected councillors.
- We are introducing new powers to help communities save local facilities and services threatened with closure, and giving communities the right to bid to take over local state-run services.
- We are giving councillors the power to vote on and veto large salary packages for unelected council officials.
- We have scrapped Labour’s plans for new bin taxes on family homes and are working with councils to improve the quality and frequency of rubbish and recycling collections.
- We have increased transparency and accountability, by ensuring councils publish online their spending, tenders and contracts over £500, and by publicising senior pay packets for public scrutiny.
- We have cut red tape, paperwork and form-filling that hinder local people from organising street parties, fetes and local community events.
- We have given new guidance to councils to cut unnecessary street clutter, which wastes taxpayers’ money, harms local amenity and undermines road safety.