Annette Brooke MP Supports a Decentralised Approach to Local Government Finance
January 11, 2012 6:16 PM
Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, has voiced her support for the localist direction taken in the Local Government Finance Bill, which received its second reading in the House of Commons yesterday. Speaking in the Chamber last night Annette said, "I welcome the general thrust of the Bill: to devolve greater financial powers and freedoms to councils."
The Bill seeks to introduce a business rate retention scheme which will allow councils to raise over 80% of their revenues locally and give them a stake in supporting local shops and companies. Annette argued that "the proposals in the Bill will move us away from a complex, non-transparent, centralised system, which offered no built-in incentives for councils to drive economic growth."
Annette, who welcomed the Government's recent announcements of a £100m Empty Homes programme to bring vacant properties back into use, supported the bill's proposals to introduce "an empty home premium after a property has been empty for two years." This means the council, under certain circumstances, could have the discretion to charge full council tax plus 50% more if the property has been empty for 2 years or more. There are currently 300,000 properties in England that have been vacant for longer than 6 months.
Annette, highlighting what a big issue second homes are in her local area, suggested that the Government should also consider introducing a second home premium similar to the empty home premium. She highlighted that an astounding 7.29% of homes in part of Purbeck are second homes. Annette believes that by tackling both second homes and empty homes, we can help deal with the housing supply shortage for local people.
After the debate Annette said: "I am very positive about giving local authorities the freedom and resources to help local communities and grow local economies. If we can get the detail right on this bill it will be a big step forward for localism. I will keep focusing on the important issues and pushing for a fair and flexible system of local government finance."
To read the debate in full visit:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm120110/debtext/120110-0003.htm
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