The Localism Act 2011 is designed to give local communities greater ability to shape what happens locally. It allows them to take control of delivering local services and influence local planning if they want.
South Gloucestershire has a long history of actively involving local communities in shaping the areas in which they live. It wants to build on these good practices and working relationships that already exist to deliver its approach to localism.
The Government has published a plain English guide to the Localism Act which summarises the main measures under four headings:
new freedoms and flexibilities for local government
new rights and powers for communities and individuals
reform to make the planning system more democratic and more effective
reform to ensure that decisions about housing are taken locally
Different parts of the Act will come into effect at different times. The implications of some of the key measures will not be clear until the Secretary of State has introduced regulations and guidance and we have developed our policies and procedures based on consultation with local people and groups.
Together with our partners we have produced a Localism Framework which sets out South Gloucestershire’s vision for localism, the key principles that will underpin delivery and immediate actions that need to be taken.