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London T: 020 7812 6490 F: 020 7812 6677
info@remarkable-engagement.co.uk
Find out more about Localism visit localism-agenda.com
As the Conference season once again starts in earnest - the last before the expected elections in 2010 - all of the parties are busy telling the nation how they would tackle the current economic crisis alongside outlining their views on development and planning. This week is the turn of the Liberal Democrats.
Kicking off the session, Deputy Leader and Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable discussed how the party intended to cut qangos and increase spending.
Top of the list for the chop would be the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) which addresses large scale infrastructure plans such as power stations, railways and wind farms. They would also seek to merge the Building Regulations Advisory Committee with the National Housing & Planning Advice Unit, alongside the two Thames Gateway urban development corporations.
The reforms would be complete with the removal of the nine regional development agencies, considered by the party to be a drain on public finances.
Liberal Democrat housing spokesperson Sarah Teather's speech on the future of housing in the UK further outlined the party's stance on the current housing stock, and the government's existing housing policies.
Teather argues that if the empty homes owned by the state were bought back into use, an extra 30,000 families could be housed, and if new homes were built on empty land owned by the state, a further 100,000 families could be accommodated.
She felt it advantageous to also allow empty and dilapidated state owned property to be sold to first time buyers prepared to repair the homes, labeling the proposal "homes for self-starters". No new on their views of top down planning or housing numbers, we'll see if the Conservatives set out their plans a little more clearly at their conference next week.
As all parties clamber to make cuts, it seems those qangos who promoted the development in boom times look set for the chop in the bust.
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