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- It removes the need for councils to make a scheme for the handling of petitions which are made to the authority (with the exception of those petitions made under another enactment, such as one asking for a referendum on an elected mayor).
- It removes the need for councils to be able to accept petitions electronically.
- It removes the need for councils to comply with its own petition scheme.
- There is no need for a council to publish its petition scheme on its website.
- There is no need for a council to acknowledge petitioners, tell petitioners what it intends to do with their petitions or place their petitions on the councils website.
- It removes the need for councils to do one of the list of the required steps when considering a petition (see link above for detail on these steps)
- It removes the need for councils to have thresholds to determine how to process petitions, for those thresholds to be reasonable and the requirement for petitions reaching those thresholds to be debated at full Council and/or Overview and Scrutiny.
- It removes the power of review by the Secretary of State, to review a council’s scheme if the council does not receive any petitions that the council has to debate.
- The specified reasons for rejection of a petition have been removed.
- Is it a weakening of democracy, or is it a strengthening of the relationship between councils and their citizens?
- Or does it place too much power back in the hands of councillors to act on their own whims rather than take note of the expressed concerns of their constituents?
- Send your comments and feedback to Policy@towns.org.uk or post below
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- Download AMT’s 21st Century Town Centres Report {opens pdf}
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- Visit the Natural England website Paths for Communities page which contains more information and an Expression of Interest form.
Strategy blog May 2012: Petitions
May 17th, 2012Are the new rules on petitions going to strengthen or weaken local democracy?
We’ve spent the last few months traveling around the country talking to town councils, community partnerships and local authorities about the implications of the Localism Act, mainly focusing on what new planning tools have become available.
Just the other week, we were fortunate enough to find ourselves in Dawlish, a coastal town, reached via one of the great British railway journeys, traveling right along the shoreline of Devon. During our question and answer session one delegate asked us about the implications for petitions under the new legislation. Not immediately knowing the answer, we decided to investigate in more detail and uncovered the following which you might find an interesting read:
Chapter 10 (miscellaneous repeals), Section 46, of the Localism Act (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/20/section/46/notes accessed 9 May,2012): states
“Repeal of provisions about petitions to local authorities. This section removes the requirements for principal local authorities in England and Wales to make, publish and comply with a scheme for the handling of petitions made to the authority, and to provide a facility for making petitions in electronic form to the authority. It also removes the powers of the Secretary of State and Welsh Ministers to make provision by order in relation to petitions schemes.”
What does this mean?
The Act is repealing legislation previously set out in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, in particular the repeal of Chapter 2 of Part 1.
This means that from 1st April 2012, there is no longer a requirement on Councils to provide a statutory petitions scheme and mandatory ePetitions facility, hence:
Why is the government doing this?
In terms of petition procedures the former legislation relating to petitions was widely considered as being very prescriptive with regards to how a Council acknowledged and informed petitioners about what was happening with their petitions once they had been submitted to the Council. In light of the new legislation, some councils are exploring options for keeping an amended petitions procedure (eg. by omitting the statutory elements of their former schemes). This is because they feel it remains useful for there to be a set procedure for handling petitions that is consistent and orderly, clarifying to the public what the council will do and the steps that officers have to take when it receives a petition. Keeping a procedure in place also sends a clear message to the general public that the council takes their views seriously.
In terms of ePetitions, the former legislation required that each local authority set up on its website an ePetitions facility. The Government made a financial contribution to the cost of doing this which, in many cases, substantially exceeded the cost incurred by the council in setting one up. Some councils have taken down their e-petition facilities already while others are considering keeping an e-petition if they feel it a useful service for their community. There is much debate over how much e-petitions were actually used and whilst no formal research has been undertaken, there is some evidence to suggest that the tool has not had widespread take-up.
Do readers have any views about this?
The change in legislation does not prevent council members from:
(a) Formally presenting petitions at Council meetings
(b) Submitting motions relating to the subject matter of petitions
(c) Requesting that the relevant Overview & Scrutiny Committee consider the subject matter of petitions
In addition there are some instances where statutory procedures are triggered by petitions, such as changing governance arrangements to an elected Mayor-led executive or in relation to Council Tax increases. These are unaffected by the Localism Act as they are requirements set out in other enactments.
In addition to the above, note that in the original draft of the Localism Bill, there was a clause stating that a petition signed by 5% of the local population or just 1 elected member would have instigated a non-binding referendum on any ‘local matter’. This was later dropped and does not appear in the final Localism Act. This removal was welcomed by various organisations including the Local Government Association which said that removing local referendums under this proposal would save councils an estimated £310 million over the next 10 years.
What do you think about this?
Town Centre Solutions Workshop – Frodsham
May 16th, 2012When
Tuesday 24 July 2012
Where
Frodsham Community Centre, Frodsham, West Cheshire.
With the numerous challenges facing small towns, combined with the recent Government and media spotlight on the health and long term future of traditional High Streets and Town Centres, AMT’s ‘Town Centre Solutions’ workshops are proving to be in great demand.
We are therefore pleased to announce that another Town Centre Solutions workshop has been confirmed, this time to take place in Frodsham, Cheshire on Tuesday 24 July.
This full day workshop offers a unique opportunity for those who work in and on behalf of town centres to learn about an innovative set of solutions, services and ideas which help deliver economic vibrancy.
The workshop is vital for all those wanting to
The workshop will be delivered by town centre specialists:
amt-i will provide an insight into the importance of understanding your town centre from a customer perspective, outlining an array of tools and techniques such as footfall counts, town centre surveys, mystery shopping and car parking and signage audits. The need to measure the success of town centre performance will be outlined via the AMT Town Benchmarking system.
Retail specialists, Metamorphosis , will guide delegates in approaches to engage with independent retailers to help create a ‘town centre vision’ and ensure customers’ experiences are positive.
The Town Centre Manager from Hitchin will share best practice of engaging and working with local businesses from their experience of establishing a highly successful Business Improvement District in Hitchin.
Delegates will leave the event with a template to ensure the vibrancy of their town.
Click here to download the Workshop Programme
To Book:
Attendance fees start at just £35 including lunch, for AMT members
We also have an introductory offer for non-AMT members of £75, which includes three months trial membership of AMT.
Please see bookings form for more information
Click here to complete an on line bookings form
Venue
Frodsham Town Council have kindly offered to provide a venue for the event which is The Frodsham Community Centre, Fluin Lane, Frodsham WA6 7QN. Full joining instructions will be sent to booked delegates and uploaded here nearer the time of the event.
If you have any questions about the event please contact Dawn Dowds on 01284 756567 or email: dawn.dowds@towns.org.uk
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Paths for Communities (P4C) launched
May 15th, 201214.05.2012
Paths for Communities, a new funding scheme to develop and enhance the network of Public Rights of Way (PROW) in England in order to deliver benefits to rural areas, was launched today. Local community partnerships are eligible to bid to Natural England for funds.
The aim of P4C is to encourage and support local communities to work with land owners to make improvements to the network of Public Rights of Way. In all cases P4C projects must include some element of new Public Right of Way creation.
P4C is funded by the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) so each P4C project must deliver some of its benefit in a defined rural area.
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Awards 2012 Wales Social and Community Category Winner: Bargoed Library
May 8th, 2012
The Bargoed ‘Big Idea’ is an ambitious and dynamic project to revitalise Bargoed as a modern and sustainable 21st Century town centre. The partnership project has breathed new life into a dilapidated Grade II listed chapel, creating a state-of-the-art community hub at the heart of Bargoed.
Like many industrial towns, Bargoed had suffered years of decline as a result of the collapse in industry, turning what was once a thriving and bustling centre of enterprise into a shadow of its former self. With shops closing and fewer people visiting the town, this decline was set to continue unabated.
However, with the creation of an ambitious and exciting proposal, the Bargoed ‘Big Idea’ sought to reverse this decline enabling the town to enter a new chapter. With an exciting new retail development, cinema, comprehensive public realm enhancement and substantial transport improvements, Bargoed is set to be transformed into a modern, dynamic and sustainable 21st Century town centre in the heart of the south Wales valleys.
As part of the ‘Big Idea’, the town’s library building was due to be demolished to make way for the new retail development. The Grade II listed Hanbury Baptist Chapel was a dilapidated and underused building located within the town. With a building in need of complete renovation and a town in need of a library, a partnership project was born.
A partnership was created with the Chapel’s congregation, United Welsh, Caerphilly County Borough Council and the Welsh Government’s Heads of the Valleys Programme, designed to breath new life into the Chapel building to house the ‘Bargoed Library’, creating a state-of-the-art education and community hub at the heart of the town centre.
Over the last 12 months the Chapel has been sensitively transformed, innovatively integrating an exciting and modern facility into the historic core of the building. The project has safeguarded a landmark building at the core of the town centre, creating a modern library, ‘Customer First Centre’, social enterprise cafe and Family History Resource Centre all supporting the long-term sustainability and revival of Bargoed and the wider area.
The project will play a key role in supporting the town centre. Breathing new life into a dilapidated building has improved the town centre environment and will further support its economic viability through increased footfall. Furthermore, the project provides an accessible location for what is a very social facility, improving access to education and training, customer services and simply creating a venue within the town centre to meet and socialise.
With over 17,000 visitors in its first month, the project has contributed significantly to improving the perception of the town centre and will significantly improve access to education and cultural opportunities for the community.
Bargoed Library is the first example of its kind in Wales to convert a chapel into a public library whilst retaining a practising worship space. Moreover, the creation of a multi-use facility is an innovative solution to the challenge of providing key services within town centres.
The Hanbury Baptist Chapel Congregation has played a key role in taking the project forward. Once the need for a suitable building to house the new library was established, the Congregation was approached for its views on developing the Chapel. Throughout the development, design and implementation phases, the Congregation has been key, detailing the requirements for the worship space and ensuring that this central feature and function of the building was retained.
As part of the project team, the Congregation fed into discussions and plans and were also given the opportunity of running the social enterprise café within the building. The design of the new worship space was a direct result of the Congregation’s ideas and aspirations.
The challenge with a historic building was ensuring that old and new were integrated seamlessly. This was innovatively achieved through using quality materials, replicating those used originally and adopting a low-carbon approach to minimise energy consumption. The facility performs to the highest environmental standards possible within the constraints imposed by the historic building.
The project shows that it is possible to use historic buildings for modern purposes and functions. In many valley towns, old buildings such as chapels provide a unique sense of place. Many are recognised for their architectural (and or cultural) importance and should therefore be celebrated as assets within town centres.
Despite these attributes, historic buildings are often seen as too much of a challenge to have a viable use and are left redundant or demolished. This project proves that provided there is the commitment, vision and funding in place, it is possible to find sustainable uses for historic buildings. These magnificent buildings can become ‘living’ landmarks, providing fantastic venues for facilities and services that support town centres and ultimately, the communities that rely on them.
More information: http://your.caerphilly.gov.uk/bargoedsbigidea/regeneration/regeneration
Judges’ comments:
“A fantastic regeneration of Grade II building. Clever use: still place of worship with a library. Excellent to keep community facility at the heart of a town. Good use of old with new. Wonderful example of what can be achieved by a community. Shows that if you get the right facility you will get an increase in footfall!”
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Awards 2012 Wales Partnership and Strategic Working Winner: Ruthin
May 8th, 2012
‘Ruthin: Market Town of the Future’ will be one of the first community-led town plans to be realised in Wales. It has brought together the local community, architects, planners and specialists to evaluate the North Wales market town of Ruthin and develop a community-led vision for the town through real public consultation.
Ruthin is a market town of 5,200 people located in Denbighshire, North Wales. Since late 2009 Design Research Unit Wales (DRU-w), based in the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University, has been working closely with Ruthin Town Council on the ‘Market Town of the Future’ project, which aims to show how to breathe new life into Wales’ market towns without losing what is special and unique about them. The community-led project aims explore the physical aspects of the town- its character, buildings, the spaces between them, parks and surroundings. It suggests a way of conserving, caring for and improving the fragile character and environment of the UK’s market towns, led by local people. This approach is seen as complimentary to local planning strategy.
Wide consultation has raised awareness of the project and given the community a platform to explore their town. A two year development process has enabled the project to respond to changes within the town in a way that a short term vision could not. The past year has been dominated by the development of ideas for the town and consultation events. ‘Ruthin Future Week’ included a debate (Whose Town is it Anyway?) and conference (Designed for Business), an exhibition, and schools workshops at Ruthin Craft Centre, alongside ‘soft’ consultation techniques such as drawing days and a photomarathon, to generate feedback, engagement, and ideas.
The resulting community-led town plan will provide a framework for the development of the town over the next decade, and has drawn together the numerous projects proposed or in progress around the town into a coherent strategy and a future vision.
With the finishing touches being completed to the plan, the first projects are underway. Visible application of the plan will ensure it is successful and supported by the townspeople.
The approach taken is being developed into a toolkit with Design Commission for Wales to extend its application to other Welsh market towns.
Through close working partnerships between Ruthin Town Council and Design Research Unit Wales the project has maintained a high standard and delivered a workable process for the town. The involvement of the Design Commission for Wales as a ‘critical friend’ maintained the rigour of the project and ensured its quality.
The project has been innovative in developing a way of mapping the existing settlement. Through a series of linked abstracted maps the structure of the town and supporting data has been collaged, revealing key strengths, weaknesses and opportunities.
The approach is applicable to other towns. A ‘Distinctive Towns Toolkit’ is under development by DRU-w and Design Commission for Wales, based on Ruthin’s experiences.
More information: www.dru-w.co.uk and Ruthin Town Council
Judges’ comments:
“Good cross-working. Innovative and will make a major impact in the future. Put the town on secure future funding footing. Like the fact it has been linked to education and brings fresh thinking as well. A toolkit coming out of it makes the project highly transferable.”
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Awards 2012 Wales Environment and Culture Category Winner Old Hall
May 8th, 2012
“Community action can achieve major projects more economically and more quickly than statutory authorities, result in great satisfaction for volunteers, as well as building the foundations of a distinctive community awareness.”
The grounds of the Old Hall in Cowbridge, in the Vale of Glamorgan, had been neglected for decades by a unitary authority which couldn’t afford to maintain the impressive historic structures or to improve the garden.
But Cowbridge Charter Trust (CCT) have used the efforts of volunteer action to transform the grounds into a beautiful community garden rich in biodiversity, as welcoming to wildlife as to human visitors.
CCT’s initial project was the restoration of the (Grade 2 listed) Town Walls which were in a ruinous state and overwhelmed by vegetation. The Vale Council commissioned a survey which estimated a repair cost of £406k; CCT did its own professional study and applied to the Council for a grant of £60k to carry out the work. This was achieved in 2011 to the satisfaction of CADW and within budget. The initial stages involved offenders from the local prison who were funded to do a masonry course.
On the strength of this, CCT decided to restore the remains of Old Hall itself and the acre of garden behind it. Old Hall Gardens used to be a thoroughfare to the health centre, the library or the community college rather than a lovely space to be enjoyed in its own right. CCT in partnership with the Vale Council successfully applied for Creative Rural Communities funding and undertook a considerable renovation and restoration process.
The Georgian facade has been renovated and painted; an ugly concrete terrace has been replaced and extended using local recycled paving stones as a space for public events; sensitive lighting has been installed; many wildlife-friendly features have been added and a process of dense planting has begun in order to restore and enhance the habitat and food sources lost when the walls were stripped and repaired.
Now people of all ages use the benches to enjoy the natural world or just to eat their lunches; wedding pictures are being taken there; children love to look at the fish and newts in the pond and a pair of mallard have recently taken up residence.
The new terrace will host a performance by CADS (Cowbridge Amateur Dramatic Society) this coming summer and a community celebration of the Jubilee will be centred on the Garden on June 5th.
In local terms this was the biggest project ever undertaken by volunteers. Because of the success of the project CCT were granted a 10 year Land Management Agreement to take over maintenance of Old Hall Grounds by the Council. CCT is composed entirely of volunteers and the project has been devised and carried out by them, either literally (as in gardening) or by employing local crafts people – and by involving and working with other local community organisations. And CCT won’t be stopping here: their next project is the rebuilding of the Old Hall itself!
More information: www.cowbridgechartertrust.co.uk
Judges’ comments:
“Excellent value achieved by a local group. Shows the power of an engaged community that want to achieve something.”
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