Formal Minutes 2007-08 - UK Parliament...John Cummings Dr John Pugh 1. Declaration of interest Jim...

Formal minutes

Monday 12 November 2007

Members present:

Dr Phyllis Starkey, in the Chair

Sir Paul Beresford Jim Dobbin Mr Clive Betts Mr Bill Olner John Cummings Dr John Pugh

1. Declaration of interest

Jim Dobbin declared his interests, in accordance with the Resolution of the House of 13 July 1992, as follows:

Overseas visits 9-11 September 2007, to Gibraltar with the All-Party Gibraltar Group, to celebrate National Day. Air travel and accommodation for my spouse and me provided by the Gibraltar Government. (Registered 23 October 2007).

19-21 October 2007, to Guernsey as chair of the All-Party Channel Islands Group to meet chief minister and colleagues to discuss matters relevant to relationships with the UK parliament. Air travel and accommodation provided by the Guernsey Government.

2. Coastal towns

Draft Report (Coastal Towns: the Government’s second response), proposed by the Chair, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the First Report of the Committee, HC 69.

3. Existing housing and climate change

Professor Anne Power, Commissioner for the Sustainable Development Commission, gave oral evidence.

Mr Jack Pringle, immediate past President, and Mr Bill Gething, chair, of the Sustainable Futures Group, Royal Institute of British Architects, gave oral evidence.

Councillor Ian Mearns, vice-chair Environment Board, Camden Council, Oliver Myers, interim Head of Sustainability, Camden Council, and Dr Philip Webber, Head of Kirklees Council Environment Unit, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Monday 19 November at 4.20 p.m.


Members present:


Mr Clive Betts Martin Horwood John Cummings Mr Bill Olner

1. Refuse collection: Government response

Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence from the Minister for Local Government in relation to Waste Reduction Pilot Schemes.

2. Equality: Government response

The Committee considered this matter.

3. New Towns: Government’s follow-up memorandum

Ordered, That a memorandum relating to the Transport, Local Government and the Regions Committee’s Report on New Towns, submitted by the Government, be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

4. Winter Supplementary Estimates

Ordered, that an explanatory memorandum relating to the Department for Communities and Local Government’s Winter Supplementary Estimates 2007-08, submitted by the Department, be reported to the House for publication on the internet.


Sarah Webb, Chief Executive-designate of the Chartered Institute of Housing, and Richard Baines, Director of Sustainable Development, Black Country Housing Group, gave oral evidence.

Gill Owen, Chair, Public Utilities Access Group, Fuel Poverty Advisory Group; Brian Mark, FCIBSE, Director of Fulcrum Consulting, and Dr Hywel Davies, Technical Director, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, gave oral evidence.

David Salusbury, Chairman, National Landlords Association, gave oral evidence.

David Cowans, Chief Executive, and Nicholas Doyle, Project Director (Sustainability), Places for People, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Monday 26 November at 4.20 p.m.


Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Mr Greg Hands Mr Clive Betts Mr Bill Olner Andrew George Emily Thornberry

Community cohesion and migration


[Adjourned till Monday 3 December at 4.20 p.m.

Monday 3 December 2007

Members present:


Mr Clive Betts Anne Main John Cummings Emily Thornberry Jim Dobbin

1. Coastal towns: Government response


2. Supply of rented housing


3. Ordnance Survey


4. Community cohesion and migration

Resolved, That the Committee visit Peterborough in connection with its inquiry into community cohesion and migration.

5. Future programme


6. Supplementary Business Rate: Government response


7. Proposed joint Committee to consider draft National Planning Policy Statements.

Resolved, That the Chair write to the Government to express the Committee’s concern about its exclusion from those Committees from amongst which membership of the proposed new Committee to consider draft National Planning Policy Statements would be drawn.

8. Petition

The Committee considered the petition to the House from the people of Leighton Buzzard, Linslade and surrounding parishes of Eggington, Heath and Reach and Hockliffe concerning proposals to build 6,000 dwellings on green belt land.



Members present:


John Cummings Mr Bill Olner Jim Dobbin Dr John Pugh


Ordered, That Dr Rachel Pillai and Alveena Malik be appointed Specialist Advisers to assist the Committee in its inquiry into community cohesion and migration.

2. Housing Green Paper

Ordered, That written evidence relating to the Housing Green Paper submitted by the Government be reported to the House for printing, excepting Table 1 and Table 2, and that Table 1 and Table 2 be reported for publication on the internet

3. Petition

The Committee considered the petition to the House from the people of Okehampton and its surrounding area concerning the provision of adequate infrastructure.

4. Communities and Local Government Departmental Annual Report 2007

Draft Report (Communities and Local Government Departmental Annual Report 2007), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Second Report of the Committee, HC 170.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 11 December at 10.30 a.m.

Tuesday 11 December 2007

Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Anne Main Andrew George Mr Bill Olner Mr Greg Hands Emily Thornberry

1. Declaration of interests

Andrew George declared his interests, in accordance with the Resolution of the House of 13 July 1992, as follows:

Remunerated employment, office, profession etc Income from books published by Patten Press, Cornwall. (Up to £5,000)

Overseas visits 15-24 September 2006, to Angola, with the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Angola. The visit was funded by Christian Aid and the British Angola Forum, Chatham House. Ground transportation was provided by Save the Children UK and Development Workshop, Angola (Registered 22 June 2007).


Rt Hon. Yvette Cooper MP, Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Joan Ruddock MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Bob Ledsome, Deputy Director, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Department for Communities and Local Government, and Jackie Janes, Deputy Director, Climate Change and Energy and Household Markets Division, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, gave oral evidence.



Members present:


Mr Clive Betts Dr John Pugh John Cummings Emily Thornberry Mr Bill Olner

1. Winter Supplementary Estimates

Resolved, That the Committee request written evidence from the Department for Communities and Local Government on its Winter Supplementary Estimates 2007-08.

2. Future programme

Resolved, That the Committee inquire into the balance of power: central and local government.

Resolved, That the Committee inquire into planning skills.

Resolved, That the Committee inquire into the provision of public toilets.

3. Local government finance (waste reduction pilots)

John Healey MP, Minister for Local Government, Department for Communities and Local Government, Joan Ruddock MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Bob Ledsome, Deputy Director, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Department for Communities and Local Government, and Daniel Instone, Deputy Director, Climate Change and Energy and Household Markets Division, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 8 January 2008 at 10 a.m.

Tuesday 8 January 2008

Members present:


Mr Clive Betts Mr Bill Olner Jim Dobbin Dr John Pugh Andrew George

1. Homes and Communities Agency

Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence from Sir Bob Kerslake, the chief executive designate of the Homes and Communities Agency.

2. Local government finance: supplementary business rate—Government response

Draft Report (Local Government Finance—Supplementary Business Rate: Government Response to the Committee’s Seventh Report of Session 2006-07), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Third Report of the Committee, HC 210.

3. Work of the Committee in 2007

Draft Report (The Work of the Committee in 2007), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Fourth Report of the Committee, HC 211.



[Adjourned till Monday 14 January 2008 at 4.20 p.m.

Monday 14 January 2008

Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Jim Dobbin Mr Clive Betts Andrew George John Cummings Mr Greg Hands

1. Homes and Communities Agency

Resolved, That the Committee request written evidence from the Department for Communities and Local Government in relation to the Homes and Communities Agency.

2. Flooding


3. Local government finance: supplementary business rate—Government response


4.National Housing and Planning Advice Unit


[Adjourned till Monday 21 January 2008 at 4.20 p.m.

Monday 21 January 2008

Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Jim Dobbin Mr Clive Betts Anne Main John Cummings Mr Bill Olner

1.Planning skills


2.Ordnance Survey

Draft Report (Ordnance Survey), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Fifth Report of the Committee, HC 268.



[Adjourned till Monday 4 February 2008 at 4.20 p.m.

Tuesday 29 January

The Chairman, Jim Dobbin, Anne Main, Dr John Pugh and Emily Thornberry visited Peterborough in connection with the Committee’s inquiry into Community Cohesion and Migration, in accordance with the Committee’s decision of 3 December 2007.

Monday 4 February 2008

Members present:


Mr Clive Betts Mr Greg Hands John Cummings Anne Main Jim Dobbin Mr Bill Olner

1. Planning skills

Ordered, That Mr Kelvin MacDonald and Dr Helen Walker be appointed as Specialist Advisers to assist the Committee in its inquiry into planning skills.

2. Refuse collection: waste reduction pilots

Draft Report (Refuse Collection: Waste Reduction Pilots), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Sixth Report of the Committee, HC 195.


Resolved, That the Committee visit Burnley or Bradford in connection with its inquiry into community cohesion and migration.

Resolved, That the Committee visit Barking and Dagenham in connection with its inquiry into community cohesion and migration.

Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to community cohesion and migration be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

Memoranda from:

• Rayne Foundation (CCM 02) • Institute for Public Policy Research—Migration, equalities and citizenship

team (CCM 03) • London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Civic Centre (CCM 04) • Migration Watch UK (CCM 05) • West Midlands Strategic Migration partnership (WMSMP) (CCM 06) • Burnley Borough Council (CCM 07) • Sport England (CCM 08) • Local Government Association (CCM 09) • London Borough of Hillingdon (CCM 10) • West Norfolk Partnership (CCM 11) • Academy for Sustainable Communities (CCM 12) • Advisory Board on Naturalisation and Integration (CCM 13) • Sussex Centre for Migration Research (CCM 14) • Fenland District Council (CCM 15) • Slough Borough Council (CCM 16) • Living Places Partnership (CCM 17) • Birmingham City Council (CCM 18) • Improvement and Development Agency (CCM 19) • National Secular Society (CCM 20) • Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) (CCM 21) • Westminster City Council (CCM 22) • Chartered Institute of Housing and Housing Associations Charitable Trust

(CCM 23) • Community Development Foundation (CCM 24) • London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (CCM 25) • Audit Commission (CCM 27) • The Institute of Community Cohesion (CCM 28) • Cllr Anjana Patel, Harrow Council (CCM 29) • East of England Development Agency (CCM 30) • Louise Heinemann (CCM 31) • Refugee Council (CCM 32).

4. Petition

The Committee considered the petition to the House from the people of Apsley Guise, Mid-Bedfordshire, concerning the planning process and housing.



Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Jim Dobbin Mr Clive Betts Andrew George John Cummings Mr Bill Olner

Homes and Communities Agency

Sir Bob Kerslake, Chief Executive-designate, Homes and Communities Agency, gave oral evidence.



Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Mr Greg Hands Mr Clive Betts Anne Main John Cummings Mr Bill Olner Jim Dobbin Dr John Pugh Andrew George

1. Departmental Estimates and Autumn Performance Report

Ordered, That the following written evidence be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

Further memorandum from the Department for Communities and Local Government on the Department’s Winter Supplementary Estimates 2007-08

Explanatory memorandum from the Government Equalities Office on its new Estimate for 2007-08

Resolved, That a further memorandum be requested from the Department for Communities and Local Government on the Winter Supplementary Estimates for 2007-08.

Resolved, That a memorandum be requested from the Department for Communities and Local Government on its Autumn Performance Report.

Resolved, That a memorandum be requested from the Minister for Equality in relation to the Government Equality Office’s new Estimate for 2007-08, and its Autumn Performance Report.

2. Future programme


3. The balance of power: central and local government

Resolved, That Mr Chris Leslie, Director of the New Local Government Network, and Professor Tony Travers of the London School of Economics be invited to participate in an informal seminar on the balance of power: central and local government.

Resolved, That Professor Tony Travers be appointed a Specialist Adviser to assist the Committee in its inquiry into the balance of power: central and local government.


Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to community cohesion and migration be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

Memoranda from:

Volunteer Centre Westminster (CCM 33)

Confederation of British Industry (CCM 34)

Department for Communities and Local Government (CCM 35)

Equality and Human Rights Commission (CCM 36)

African Caribbean Forum of Peterborough (CCM 37).

Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, gave oral evidence.

Tim Allen, Programme Director for Local Government at the Audit Commission, Gareth Davies, Managing Director for Local Government at the Audit Commission, and Andrew Blake-Herbert, Strategic Director of Resources at Slough Borough Council, gave oral evidence.

Ted Cantle, Executive Chair, and Nick Johnson, Director of Policy, both Institute of Community Cohesion, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 4 March 2008 at 10 a.m.

Monday 3 March

The Chairman, Mr Clive Betts, Andrew George, Mr Greg Hands, Dr John Pugh and Emily Thornberry visited Burnley in connection with the Committee’s inquiry into community cohesion and migration, in accordance with the Committee’s decision of 3 December 2007.

Tuesday 4 March 2008

The Committee met at the Town Hall, Burnley

Members present:


Mr Clive Betts Dr John Pugh Andrew George Emily Thornberry Mr Greg Hands


Shufkat Razaq, Chair of Burnley Action Partnership (Local Strategic Partnership), Sajda Majeed, Programme Manager, The Chai Centre, and Marian Siwerski, a recent migrant , gave oral evidence.

Brenda Rochester, Canalside Community Association, Richard Chipps, Thursby Gardens Community Action Group, Ann Royle, Central Briercliffe Road Action Group, and Stewart Bone, Piccadilly’s Moving Community Association, gave oral evidence.

Councillor Gordon Birtwistle, Leader, Burnley Borough Council, Steve Rumbelow, Chief Executive, Burnley Borough Council, County Councillor Doreen Pollitt, Deputy Leader, Lancashire County Council, and Jane Abdulla, Senior Policy Officer, Lancashire County Council, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Monday 17 March at 4.20 p.m.

Monday 17 March 2008

Members present:


Mr Clive Betts Mr Greg Hands John Cummings Anne Main Jim Dobbin Mr Bill Olner

In the temporary absence of the Chairman, Mr Clive Betts was called to the Chair for part of the meeting.

1. Provision of public toilets


2. Modernisation Committee: inquiry into annual departmental debates


3. Department for Communities and Local Government Annual Report 2007: Government response


4. Refuse Collection: Waste Reduction Pilots


Ordered, That a memorandum from the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to Refuse Collection: Waste Reduction Pilots (RC add2) be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

5. Department for Communities and Local Government Spring Supplementary Estimate 2007

Ordered, That the explanatory memorandum from the Department for Communities and Local Government accompanying the Spring Supplementary Estimates 2007-08 (EST 06) be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

Resolved, That a further memorandum be requested from the Department for Communities and Local Government on its Spring Supplementary Estimates 2007-08.

08

6. Planning Skills

Ordered, That the following written evidence be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

Memoranda from:

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (PS 01) Jane Askew, Head of the School of Planning and Architecture, UWE (PS 02) Fordham Research (PS 03) Institution of Economic Development (PS 04) Environmental Services Association (PS 05) Merseytravel (PS 06) Chief Economic Development Officers Society and the County Surveyors

Society (PS 07) Ann Hockey, Senior Lecturer in Spatial Planning at the Department of the Built Environment, Anglia Ruskin University (PS 08) Institution of Highways & Transportation (PS 09) Planning Officers Society (PS 10) Audit Commission (PS 11) Royal Town Planning Institute, South East Branch (PS 12) Lindsay Frost, Director of Planning and Environmental Services at Lewes

District Council (PS 13) Royal Institute of British Architects (PS 14) British Property Federation (PS 15) Department of Planning, School of the Built Environment, Oxford Brookes

University (PS 16) Archaeology Training Forum (PS 17) Tim Edmundson, Head of the Department of Urban Development and

Regeneration, University of Westminster (PS 18) Planning Advisory Service (PS 19) Town and Country Planning Association (PS 20) Sheffield Hallam University (PS 21) Roy Rizvi (PS 22) Department for Communities and Local Government (PS 23) Royal Town Planning Institute (PS 24) Professor Chris Webster, Director of the Centre for Education in the Built

Environment (PS 25) Advisory Team for Large Applications (ATLAS) (PS 26) Local Government Association (PS 27) South East England Development Agency (PS 28) Horticultural Trades Association (PS 29) English Heritage (PS 30) Urban Forum (PS 31) Planning Inspectorate (PS 32) Trevor Roberts Associates (PS 33)

Professor David Shaw, Head of Department of Civic Design, University of Liverpool (PS 34)

RENEW Northwest (PS 35) Environment Agency (PS 36) Institute of Historic Building Conservation (PS 37) South East Region of the Planning Officers’ Society (PS 38) Academy for Sustainable Communities (PS 39) Inspire East (PS 40) Sustainable Communities Excellence Network (PS 41) Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) (PS 42) London Councils (PS 43) John K Preston (PS 44) The Urban Design Alliance (PS 45) Homebuilders’ Federation Ltd (PS 46).


Ordered, That a memorandum from the Trades Union Congress relating to the inquiry into Community Cohesion and Migration (CCM 38) be reported to the House for publication on the internet.


Draft Report (Existing Housing and Climate Change), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Seventh Report of the Committee, HC 432.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 25 March 2008 at 4.20 p.m.

Tuesday 25 March 2008

Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Jim Dobbin Mr Clive Betts Andrew George John Cummings Anne Main



2. Planning skills


3. Future programme


4. Department for Communities and Local Government Winter Supplementary Estimates 2007-08


5. Petitions

The Committee considered the following petitions to the House:

from the residents of Toddington concerning development on land adjacent to Junction 12 of the M1 (printed on 20 February);

from the residents of Harlington concerning development on land adjacent to Junction 12 of the M1 (printed on 20 February);

from the residents of the Hatton Park area in Wellingborough concerning improvements to the highway (printed on 20 February);

from Mrs Vanda Jimmick, residents of Hadleigh and others concerning development of Hadleigh town shopping centre (printed on 10 March); and

from the residents of Croyland ward of Wellingborough and surrounding areas concerning the condition of the highway (printed on 18 March).



[Adjourned till Tuesday 1 April 2008 at 4.20 p.m.

Tuesday 1 April 2008

Members present:


John Cummings Anne Main Jim Dobbin Dr John Pugh

1. Department for Communities and Local Government Autumn Performance Report 2007

Ordered, That a memorandum from the Department for Communities and Local Government relating to its Autumn Performance Report 2007 be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

2. Planning skills

Ordered, That the following memoranda relating to the inquiry into planning skills be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

Northamptonshire Enterprise Ltd (PS 47)

Musgrave Retail Partners GB (PS 48).


Darra Singh, Chair of the Commission on Integration and Cohesion, gave oral evidence.

Ms Sally Hunt, General Secretary, University and College Union, and Mr Patrick Wintour, Acting Chair, and Ms Bharti Patel, Secretary, Advisory Board on Naturalisation and Integration, gave oral evidence.

Sarah Spencer CBE, Centre on Migration, Policy and Society, and Professor Richard Black, Sussex Centre for Migration Research, University of Sussex, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Monday 21 April 2008 at 4.20 p.m.

Monday 21 April 2008

Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Anne Main Mr Clive Betts Mr Bill Olner John Cummings Dr John Pugh

Jim Dobbin Emily Thornberry Mr Greg Hands

Supply of rented housing

Draft Report (Supply of Rented Housing), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Eighth Report of the Committee, HC 457.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 22 April 2008 at 10 a.m.

Tuesday 22 April 2008

Members present:


Jim Dobbin Anne Main Andrew George Mr Bill Olner


Alison Seabrooke, Chief Executive, and Melanie Bowles, Practice Links Manager, Community Development Foundation, gave oral evidence.

Rt Hon. Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and Mr Liam Byrne MP, Minister of State for Borders and Immigration, Home Office, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Monday 28 April 2008 at 4.20 p.m.

Monday 28 April 2008

Members present:


Mr Clive Betts Andrew George John Cummings Mr Greg Hands



2. Ordnance Survey

Draft Special Report (Ordnance Survey: Government Response to the Fifth Report from

the Committee), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

Ordered, That the draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph.

Paragraphs 1 and 2 read and agreed to.

The Government response was appended to the Report as the Appendix.

Resolved, That the Report be the First Special Report of the Committee to the House.

Ordered, That the Chairman make the Report to the House.

Ordered, That embargoed copies of the Report be made available, in accordance with

the provisions of Standing Order No. 134.

3. Petition

The Committee considered a petition to the House from the people of the Greater Reading area relating to housing development (printed on 2 April).

4. Planning skills


Sir John Egan gave oral evidence.

Lynda Addison and Stuart Hylton, representing the Planning Officers Society, and Mr Lindsay Frost, Director of Planning and Environmental Services, Lewes District Council, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 6 May 2008 at 4.20 p.m.

Tuesday 6 May 2008

Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Jim Dobbin John Cummings Dr John Pugh



2. Refuse collection: waste reduction pilots—Government response

Draft Special Report (Refuse Collection: Waste Reduction Pilots—Government Response to the Sixth Report from the Committee), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.




Resolved, That the Report be the Second Special Report of the Committee to the

House.


Ordered, That embargoed copies of the Report be made available, in accordance with

the provisions of Standing Order No. 134.

3. Coastal towns




5. Petition

The Committee considered a petition from the residents of Irchester relating to a proposed skate park (printed on 24 April).

6. Planning skills

Liz Peace, Chief Executive, British Property Federation, and Sue Willcox, Head of Town Planning, Sainsbury’s, gave oral evidence.

Councillor Ruth Cadbury and Councillor Norman Dingemans gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Monday 12 May 2008 at 4.20 p.m.

Monday 12 May 2008

Members present:


Mr Clive Betts Mr Greg Hands John Cummings Mr Bill Olner

1. Spring Supplementary Estimates 2007-08

Ordered, That the supplementary memorandum (EST 08) submitted by Communities and Local Government on its Spring Supplementary Estimates 2007-08 be reported to the House for publication on the internet.


Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to the provision of public toilets

be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

Memoranda from:

Normanton and Altofts Senior Senior Citizens Association (PPT 01)

Birmingham Advisory Council for Older People (PPT 02)

British Toilet Association (PPT 03)

Joseph Rowntree Foundation (PPT 04)

Preston Older Peoples Forum (PPT 05)

UK Paruresis Trust (PPT 06)

Bristol Older Peoples Forum (PPT 07)

London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames (PPT 08)

The National Organisation of Residents Associations (PPT 09)

Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents Association (PPT 10)

Nottingham City Council (PPT 11)

Merton Older People’s Housing Forum (PPT 12)

Help the Aged (PPT 13)

The Chartered Institution of Waste Management (PPT 14)

Inconvenience Committee of Blue Badge Guides (PPT 15)

Department for Communities and Local Government (PPT 16)

Changing Places (PPT 17)

Visit Britain (PPT 18)

ENCAMS (PPT 19)

Office of the City Remembrancer - City of London Corporation (PPT 20)

Merton Seniors’ Forum (PPT 21)

Over 50s Forum, Wigan Branch (PPT 22).

3. Olympic legacy

Resolved, That the Committee visit the site of the 2012 Olympic Games at Stratford, east London, in connection with its inquiry into the legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games.



5. Planning skills

Robert Upton, General Secretary, and Sue Percy, Director of Membership, Education and Lifelong Learning, Royal Town Planning Institute, gave oral evidence.

Paul Lovejoy, Executive Director, Strategy and Communications, Pat Tempany, Head of Urban Renaissance, Housing and Policy, and Miranda Pearce, Renaissance Manager, South-East England Development Agency, and Dominic Murphy, Executive Director, Sustainable Communities Excellence Network, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Monday 19 May 2008 at 4.20 p.m.

Monday 19 May 2008

Members present:


Mr Clive Betts Mr Bill Olner John Cummings Emily Thornberry Andrew George


Resolved, That the Committee visit Richmond, London, in connection with its inquiry into the provision of public toilets.

Ordered, That the memorandum relating to the provision of public toilets submitted by the British Resorts and Destinations Association (PPT 23) be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

2. Planning skills

Ordered, That the memorandum relating to planning skills submitted by Asset Skills (PS 49) be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

Professor Peter Roberts, Chairman, Gill Taylor, Chief Executive, and Kevin Murray, Board Member, Academy for Sustainable Communities, gave oral evidence.

Rt Hon. Caroline Flint MP, Minister for Housing, and David Morris, Deputy Director, Planning, Delivery and Performance, Communities and Local Government, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Monday 2 June 2008 at 4.20 p.m.

Monday 2 June 2008

Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Anne Main Mr Clive Betts Dr John Pugh John Cummings Emily Thornberry

1. New Towns


Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to New Towns be reported to the

House for publication on the internet:

Memorandum from the Town and Country Planning Association (Mis 07)

Memorandum from the New Towns Special Interest Group (Mis 08)

Memorandum from Bracknell Forest Council (Mis 09).

2. Planning skills

Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to planning skills be reported to

the House for publication on the internet:

Memorandum from Mr Jon Talbot (PS 50)

Memorandum from the Academy for Sustainable Communities (PS 51).


Ordered, That the written evidence relating to community cohesion and migration submitted by the Research Team on Governance and Diversity, Goldsmiths, University of London (CCM 40), be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

4. Petitions



From Mr Alan Scard and others relating to the future use of the Haslar site in Hampshire (printed on 12 May 2008).

From those concerned about the safety of Lower Road bridge, Nash Mills, relating to road safety (printed on 7 May 2008).


Pamela Holmes, Head of Healthy Ageing, Help the Aged, Martin Jackaman, Changing Places Consortium, and Alan Shrank, Chair of the National Organisation of Residents Associations, gave oral evidence.

Peter Hampson, Director of the British Resorts and Destinations Association, and Tony Anderson, Chair of the Inconvenience Committee of Blue Badge Guides, gave oral evidence.


Monday 9 June 2008

Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Anne Main Mr Clive Betts Mr Bill Olner John Cummings

1. Planning skills




3. Olympic legacy

Resolved, That the Chairman and one or more members of the Committee have leave to visit Stratford, east London, for the purposes of the Committee’s inquiry into the legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games, in a representative capacity.


Resolved, That the Chairman and Mr Clive Betts have leave to visit the London Borough of Richmond, for the purposes of the Committee’s inquiry into the provision of public toilets, in a representative capacity.

Ordered, That written evidence relating to the provision of public toilets submitted by Mr Dilwyn Chambers (PPT 24) be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

Richard Chisnell, Chair, and Mike Bone, Director, British Toilet Association; and Baroness Andrews, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, gave oral evidence.


Tuesday 10 June 2008

The Chairman and Mr Clive Betts visited the London Borough of Richmond in a representative capacity in connection with the Committee’s inquiry into the provision of public toilets, in accordance with the Committee’s decisions of 19 May and 9 June 2008.

Tuesday 17 June 2008

The Chairman and Mr Bill Olner visited the London Borough of Richmond in a representative capacity in connection with the Committee’s inquiry into the Olympic Legacy, in accordance with the Committee’s decision of 9 June 2008.

Monday 23 June 2008

Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Anne Main Mr Clive Betts Mr Bill Olner John Cummings Dr John Pugh



Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to the Provision of Public Toilets be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

Memorandum from Mrs E A Macdonald (PPT 25)

Memorandum from Professor Clara Greed (PPT 26).

2. Coastal towns

Ordered, That written evidence relating to Coastal Towns submitted by VisitBritain (Misc 10) be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

3. Petitions


From concerned members of the public concerning the mid-week car boot sale and market at Catchpenny Farm (printed 10 June 2008).

From citizens of south Wiltshire concerning the building of additional houses (printed 12 June 2008)


Sir Michael Lyons; and Chris Leslie, Director of the New Local Government Network, Janet Grauberg, Development Director of the Public Management and Policy Association, and James Morris, Chief Executive of Localis, gave oral evidence.


Monday 30 June 2008

Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Anne Main Mr Clive Betts Dr John Pugh John Cummings Emily Thornberry Andrew George

1. Future programme


2. Petition

The Committee considered a petition to the House from Brian Keeler, Mr and Mrs Patel, residents of Castle Point and others concerning housing development (printed on 23 June 2008).

3. New Towns: follow-up

Draft Report (New Towns: Follow-up), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Ninth Report of the Committee, HC 889.


Draft Report (Community Cohesion and Migration), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Tenth Report of the Committee, HC 369.

[Adjourned till Monday 7 July 2008 at 4.20 p.m.

Monday 7 July 2008

Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Anne Main Mr Clive Betts Mr Bill Olner Andrew George Dr John Pugh

1. Tenant Services Authority




Councillor Susan Williams, Leader of Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council, Jules Pipe, Mayor of Hackney, and Councillor Jill Shortland, Leader of Somerset County Council, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 8 July 2008 at 10.00 a.m.

Tuesday 8 July 2008

Members present:


Andrew George Mr Bill Olner



2. New Towns: follow-up




4. Planning skills


[Adjourned till Monday 14 July 2008 at 4.20 p.m.

Monday 14 July 2008

Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Mr Bill Olner Mr Clive Betts Dr John Pugh John Cummings Emily Thornberry Anne Main

1. Petition


From Botley and Hedge End residents relating to the proposed Strategic Development Area to the N/NE of Hedge End (printed on 1 July 2008)

From J Everett, the residents of Castle Point and others relating to certain public open space in Castle Point (printed on 2 July 2008).

Resolved, That the Clerk of the Committee respond to any petition placed on the Committee’s agenda which appears to the Committee to concern a matter wholly within the responsibility of local government stating that the Committee is of this view and has therefore not considered the matter raised.

2.Provision of public toilets

Ordered, That written evidence submitted by the National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease (PPT 27) be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

3. Planning skills

Draft Report (Planning Matters—labour shortages and skills gaps), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Eleventh Report of the Committee, HC 517-I.

4. Department for Communities and Local Government Annual Report 2008

Resolved, That the Committee request written evidence from the Department for Communities and Local Government in connection with its Departmental Annual Report 2008.

[Adjourned till Monday 6 October 2008 at 4.20 p.m.

Monday 6 October 2008

Members present:


Mr Clive Betts Anne Main Jim Dobbin Mr Bill Olner Mr Greg Hands Emily Thornberry

1.Future programme

Resolved, That the Committee inquire into the impact of the credit crisis on the housing market and housebuilding.

2. Petitions


From Brian Keeler, Mr and Mrs Patel, the residents of Castle Point and others relating to proposed development (printed on 1 October 2008)

From supporters of increased parking facilities for shoppers in Halifax town centre relating to parking facilities (printed on 1 October 2008).

Ordered, That the Clerk of the Committee respond to these petitions stating that they appear to the Committee to concern matters wholly within the responsibility of local government, and that the Committee has therefore not considered the matters raised.

The Committee considered the following petition to the House:

Supporters of the campaign to Save Cherry Lane Cemetery, relating to proposals to construct a road through Cherry Lane Cemetery (printed on 1 October 2008).

3. Government Equalities Office

Resolved, That a memorandum be requested from the Government Equalities Office on its Departmental Annual Report 2008.





6. Departmental Annual Report


7. Regional Committees



Draft Report (Provision of Public Toilets), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Twelfth Report of the Committee, HC 636.

[Adjourned till Monday 13 October 2008 at 4.20 p.m.


Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Andrew George Mr Clive Betts Anne Main John Cummings Dr John Pugh

1. Petitions


From Mrs Jean Everett, the residents of Castle Point and others relating to public open space (printed on 6 October 2008)

From Jo Grey, concerned Canvey Island residents and others relating to housebuilding (printed on 6 October 2008).

Ordered, That the Clerk of the Committee respond to these petitions stating that they appear to the Committee to concern matters wholly within the responsibility of local government, and that the Committee has therefore not considered the matters raised.

The Committee considered the following petition to the House:

From the Bordon for Option 1 Group relating to development (printed on 6 October 2008).



3. Future programme

Resolved, That the Committee inquire into local authority investment policies and practice.

4. Housing and the credit crunch


Ordered, That Professor Steve Hilditch be appointed as a Specialist Adviser to assist the Committee in its inquiry into housing and the credit crunch.

5. Department for Communities and Local Government Departmental Annual Report

Peter Housden, Permanent Secretary, Richard McCarthy, Director General, Housing and Planning, David Rossington, acting Director General, Communities Group, Hunada Nouss, Director General, Corporate Delivery, and Sir Ken Knight, Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser, Department for Communities and Local Government, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 21 October 2008 at 10 a.m.

Tuesday 21 October 2008

Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Andrew George Mr Clive Betts Emily Thornberry Mr Jim Dobbin

1. Petitions

The Committee considered the petition to the House from Robert J Kimmel, residents of Castle Point and others relating to planning and development (Essex) (printed on 20 October 2008)

Ordered, That the Clerk of the Committee respond to this petition stating that it appears to the Committee to concern a matter wholly within the responsibility of local government, and that the Committee has therefore not considered the matter raised.


Ordered, That the memoranda from the following relating to the balance of power: central and local government be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

West Midlands Business Council (BOP 01) Birmingham City Council (BOP 02) Professors Jones and Stewart (BOP 03)

Councillor Paul H Drakers (BOP 04)

Lancashire County Council (BOP 05)

London Borough of Camden (BOP 06)

Somerset County Council (BOP 07)

The Federation of Small Businesses (BOP 08)

West Sussex County Council (BOP 09)

Manchester City Council (BOP 10)

Mansfield District Council (BOP 11)

Gateshead Council (BOP 12)

Telford & Wrekin Council (BOP 13)

Warwickshire County Council (BOP 14)

CCS (BOP 15)

Kent County Council (BOP 16)

Local Government Information Unit (BOP 17)

Oxfordshire County Council & Oxfordshire District Councils (BOP 18)

Knowsley Borough Council (BOP 19)

Association of North East Councils (BOP 20)

County Councils Network (BOP 21)

Institute of Local Government Studies (BOP 22)

The Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation (BOP 23)

New Local Government Network (BOP 24)

Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (BOP 25)

Lancaster City Council (BOP 26)

Essex County Council (BOP 27)

Taplow Parish Council (BOP 28)

Buckinghamshire County Council (BOP 29)

North Yorkshire County Council (BOP 30)

Jeremy Smith (BOP 31)

The Core Cities Group (BOP 32)

Professor Gerry Stoker (BOP 33)

Localis (BOP 34)

Carolyn Ryan (BOP 35)

West Midlands Local Government Association (BOP 36)

Sunderland City Council (BOP 37)

Audit Commission (BOP 38)

Barford St John and St Michael Parish Council (BOP 39)

Westminster City Council (BOP 40)

Maidstone Borough Council (BOP 41)

The National Association of Local Councils (BOP 42)

Lifting the Burdens Task Force (BOP 43)

London Councils (BOP 44)

London Borough of Hackney (BOP 45)

Stroud District Council (BOP 46)

Trafford Council (BOP 47)

Harpenden Town Council (BOP 48)

NORA (BOP 49)

IPPR North & IPPR (BOP 50)

Cllr Mike Jordan (BOP 51)

Frampton on Severn Parish Council (BOP 52)

Department for Communities and Local Government (BOP 53)

Henry Wilson (BOP 54) Local Government Association (BOP 55).

3. Tenant Services Authority

Anthony Mayer, Chair-designate, and Peter Marsh, Chief Executive-designate, Tenant Services Authority, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Monday 27 October 2008 at 4.20 pm.


Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Mr Greg Hands Mr Clive Betts Anne Main John Cummings Mr Bill Olner Jim Dobbin Emily Thornberry Andrew George

1. Petitions

The Committee considered two petitions to the House from people from the Mid Dorset and North Poole constituency relating to planning and development (Dorset) (printed on 21 and 22 October 2008).

2. Local authority investments

Ordered, That Professor Tony Travers and Rita Hale be appointed as Specialist Advisers to assist the Committee in matters related to local authority investment policies and practice.



4. Department for Communities and Local Government Departmental Annual Report 2008

Ordered, That the memorandum from the Local Government Association relating to the inquiry into the Communities and Local Government Departmental Annual Report 2008 (DAR03) be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

Rt Hon. Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State, Rt Hon. Margaret Beckett MP, Minister for Housing, and Rt Hon. John Healey MP, Minister for Local Government, Department for Communities and Local Government, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Monday 3 November 2008 at 4.20 pm.


Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Anne Main Mr Clive Betts Mr Bill Olner John Cummings Dr John Pugh Mr Greg Hands Emily Thornberry

1. Petitions


Residents in the vicinity of Exmoor National Park and others relating to planning and development (Exmoor) (printed on 23 October 2008)

The residents of Bridgwater and others relating to care services (Somerset) (printed on 23 October 2008).

The Committee considered the petition to the House from the War Memorial Fund Raising Committee, members of the Royal Legion and residents of Canvey Island relating to war memorials (Essex) (printed on 23 October 2008).

Ordered, That the Clerk of the Committee respond to this petition stating that it appears to the Committee to concern matters wholly within the responsibility of local government, and that the Committee has therefore not considered the matters raised.

2. Planning skills



Ordered, That the memorandum from the City of London relating to the balance of power: central and local government (BOP 56) be reported to the House for publication on the internet.

4. Future programme


Resolved, That the Committee inquire into traditional retail markets.



Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Anne Main Mr Clive Betts Mr Bill Olner John Cummings Dr John Pugh Mr Greg Hands Emily Thornberry

1. Petitions

The Committee considered the petition to the House from residents of Hull and others relating to public conveniences (Hull) (printed on 4 November 2008).

Ordered, That the Clerk of the Committee write to the petitioners enclosing a copy of the Committee’s recent Report on the provision of public toilets.



Ordered, That the memoranda from the following relating to housing and the credit

crunch be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

Armand Toms (CRED 01)

Nordic Enterprise Trust (CRED 03) G15 (CRED 05) London and Quadrant Housing Group (CRED 06) Ann Petherick (CRED 07) Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (CRED 08) CgMs Consulting Ltd (CRED 09) Three Rivers District Council (CRED 10) West Midlands Local Government Association and West Midlands Regional Assembly

(CRED 11) Yorkshire and Humberside Assembly Regional Housing Board (CRED 12) Northern Housing Consortium (CRED 13) Residential Landlords Association Limited (CRED 14) North West Housing Forum (CRED 15) Royal Town Planning Institute (CRED 16) The Retirement Housing Group (CRED 17) Bovis Homes Ltd (CRED 18) Natural England (CRED 19) Regional Development Agencies (CRED 20) Tom Parkinson (CRED 21) Places for People (CRED 22) Construction Products Association (CRED 23) Carodon District Council and Cornwall Citizens Advice Bureaux (CRED 24) UNISON (CRED 25) Gentoo Group (CRED 26) East Midlands Regional Assembly (CRED 27) Anchor Trust (CRED 29) Council of Mortgage Lenders (CRED 30) Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (CRED 31) Care and Repair England (CRED 32) Elderflowers Projects Company (CRED 33) South West Regional Assembly (CRED 34) Thames Gateway London Partnership (CRED 36) South East England Regional Assembly (CRED 37) The Paragon Group of Companies plc (CRED 38) The Housing Forum (CRED 39) Joseph Rowntree Foundation (CRED 40) National House Building Council (CRED 41) Home Builders Federation (CRED 42) National Housing Federation (CRED 43) CRISIS (CRED 44) Association of Chief Police Officers—Crime Prevention Initiatives (CRED 45) Federation of Master Builders (CRED 46) London Councils (CRED 47) Local Government Association (CRED 48) National Landlords Association (CRED 49)

Chartered Institute of Housing (CRED 50)

National Federation of Property Professionals (CRED 51)

Citizens Advice (CRED 52)

Campaign to Protect Rural England (CRED 53)

Shelter (CRED 54).


Stephen Hughes, Chief Executive, Birmingham City Council, and Sir Richard Leese CBE, Leader, and Eamonn Boylan, Deputy Chief Executive (Regeneration), Manchester City Council, gave oral evidence.

Peter Gilroy OBE, Chief Executive, and Paul Carter, Leader, Kent County Council, and David Petford, Chief Executive, and Cllr FitzGerald, Maidstone Borough Council, gave oral evidence.

Mike More, Chief Executive, and Cllr Colin Barrow CBE, Leader, Westminster City Council, and Moira Gibb, Chief Executive, and Cllr Keith Moffitt, Leader, London Borough of Camden, gave oral evidence.



Members present:


Sir Paul Beresford Mr Clive Betts John Cummings Jim Dobbin

Andrew George Anne Main Dr John Pugh

1. Future programme


Resolved, That the Committee inquire into the Government’s proposed revisions to Planning Policy Statement 6 (Town centres).

2. Traditional retail markets


3. Local government finance: Supplementary Business Rate


Draft Special Report (Local Government Finance—Supplementary Business Rate:

Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2007-08), proposed

by the Chairman, brought up and read.




Resolved, That the Report be the Third Special Report of the Committee to the House.


4. Government Equalities Office Departmental Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08


Ordered, That the memorandum (GEO01) from the Government Equalities Office on its Departmental Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08 be reported to the House for publication on the internet.



Ordered, That the memoranda from the following relating to housing and the credit crunch be reported to the House for publication on the internet:

Adrian Cole (CRED 56)

Barton Wilmore (CRED 57)

Building Societies Association (CRED 58).


Andy Sawford, Chief Executive, Local Government Information Unit, Anna Turley, Deputy Director, New Local Government Network, and Cllr Merrick Cockell, Chairman, London Councils, gave oral evidence.

Ann Keen MP, Under Secretary of State, Department of Health, and Vernon Coaker MP, Minister of State, Home Office, gave oral evidence.

Jo Webber, Deputy Director, NHS Confederation, and Mr Ken Jones QPM, President, Association of Chief Police Officers, gave oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Monday 8 December 2008 at 4.00 pm.

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