SCA Amendment to Recieve Parliamentary Time as Part of Washup
8 April 2010
After an announcement by Deputy Labour Leader Harriet Harman on Tuesday, the Sustainable Communities Act Amendment Bill will be given parliamentary time this week to fast track the proposals into law before the Election. The move is part of the Parliament wash-up process, which pushes to get a number of different Bills passed before any potential change of Government.
The Sustainable Communities Bill was originally introduced to Parliament as a Private Members Bill. It was sponsored in the House of Commons by Nick Hurd MP, Conservative, Ruislip-Northwood and in the House of Lords by Lord Marlesford. The Bill was supported through Parliament by the Government and all of the main English political parties. It is the result of a five year campaign led by a coalition of organisations under the banner Local Works. Local Works name 85 national supporting organisations reflecting a very wide constituency.
The Act aims to promote the sustainability of local communities. It begins from the principle that local people know best what needs to be done to promote the sustainability of their area, but that sometimes they need central government to act to enable them to do so. It provides a channel for local people to ask central government to take such action. It is also a new way for local authorities to ask central government to take action which they believe would better enable them to improve the economic, social or environmental well-being of their area.
The Sustainable Communities Act Amendment Bill will greatly strengthen the Sustainable Communities Act by creating an ongoing ‘rolling’ programme for communities and councils to submit proposals to Government. The provisions in the current Bill expired after 31st July 2009. The Bill will also formally include Parish and Town Councils in the Act’s process.