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In this update...
> Occupancy Costs
> Planning/Regeneration
> Sustainability

BCSC
Policy Update - Election Special


May 2010

The UK has elected its first formal Coalition Government since 1945. The policy ramifications of this are not yet known in full. To date, the Liberal - Conservative Coalition Government have provided an indication of their intentions with the outline of proposed legislation as announced in the Queen's Speech on Tuesday 25 May and in the Coalition Programme for Government.

For more information on the Coalition Programme please click here, and for a full list of Government bills, please see here.

We have written to the new Ministers holding key portfolios of relevance to BCSC to welcome them to their new roles and we intend to set up meetings in the coming months. We are also in the process of building relationships with the 200 new MPs to ensure strong brand recognition of BCSC and our interests across Parliament.

If you would like to discuss our public policy activity in more detail - please do get in touch.

Yours sincerely

Edward Cooke
Executive Director
BCSC

Occupancy Costs

As highlighted in the last Policy Update, the Liberal Democrats have previously indicated that they would support the re-localisation of the business rates: www.libdems.org.uk/siteFiles/resources/PDF/Policy%20Briefing%20Economy%20Business.pdf

Since the formation of the Coalition, the Government has now stated that it will review local government finance. Clearly the administration of business rates, along with the contribution they make to local government income, is likely to be explored in detail during this review.

> What this means for your business and what we are doing

Planning/Regeneration

Eric Pickles, the Communities secretary, will take charge of the drive to devolve greater powers to councils and local communities with the introduction of the Decentralisation and Localism Bill in the autumn. Communities are to be given much more control over housing and planning decisions. Local government finance is also set to be reviewed.

The Coalition Programme for Government indicated that this Bill would be based on the Conservative Party’s planning green paper “Open Source”, and it outlined some of the key policies likely to be included in this Bill as follows:

	Ensure a level playing field between small and large retailers by enabling councils to take competition issues into account when drawing up their local plans to shape the direction and type of new retail development
	Radical devolution of power and greater financial autonomy to local government and community groups
	Abolish Regional Spatial Strategies
	Give neighbourhoods far more ability to determine the shape of the places in which their inhabitants live
	Abolish the unelected Infrastructure Planning Commission
	Publish a simple and consolidated national planning framework covering
	Abolish the Government Office for London and consider the case for abolishing the remaining Government Offices
	Create directly elected mayors in the 12 largest English cities, subject to confirmatory referendums and full scrutiny by elected councillors
	Allow councils to return to the committee system, should they wish to
	Cut local government inspection and abolish the Comprehensive Area Assessment
	Provide incentives for local authorities to deliver sustainable development, including for new homes and businesses.

> What this means for your business and what we are doing

Sustainability

The Queen's Speech included a proposed Energy Security and Green Economy Bill to be introduced after the summer recess. Seen as a big win for the Liberal Democrats and Chris Huhne, the Energy Secretary, this will seek to improve energy efficiency in homes and businesses and promote low carbon energy production. The Bill will also include measures to secure UK energy supplies.

> What this means for your business and what we are doing

BCSC
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