Overview

This bill amends the Sustainable Communities Act 2007, primarily to improve the process of submitting proposals for community projects and to ensure better representation for parish councils in decision-making.

Description

The key changes introduced by this bill are:

• Proposal Submission: It clarifies and expands the process for submitting proposals for community projects by local authorities to the Secretary of State. The selector (a designated individual) will now be responsible for submitting a reasonable number of proposals continuously, publishing justifications for rejections.
• Parish Council Representation: The bill mandates the inclusion of parish council representatives on panels involved in making proposals, unless parish councils themselves choose not to participate within a 6-month period. County associations of parish councils are also now permitted to make proposals directly.
• Petitions and Referendums: If a local authority refuses to submit proposals requested by a petition signed by at least 5% of local electors, a referendum must be held. If the referendum supports the petition, the authority must submit the proposals.
• Regulations: The Secretary of State is required to create regulations for petitions and referendums within 12 months of the bill's passage.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify government spending. The cost will likely depend on the implementation of the new regulations and the number of referendums held, which is difficult to predict.

Groups Affected

• Local Authorities: Will have altered responsibilities regarding proposal submission and the conduct of referendums.
• Parish Councils: Will have a stronger voice in local decision-making through increased representation.
• Local Electors: Gain a more direct say on proposals through the petition and referendum process.
• Secretary of State: Will have a more structured process for reviewing proposals.

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