CLC Annual Report 2008

Extract from the Communities and Local Government Committee Select Committee Press Release:

Department needs to grow into a "big hitter" if it is to effectively deliver key policies

Despite improvements in effectiveness, delivery is still patchy as shown by the Department of Communities and Local Government's problems in implementing key policies such as eco-towns, the Decent Homes programme and Home Information Packs.

This is the conclusion of a Communities and Local Government Select Committee report published today (Wednesday 3 March) into the work of the Department over the last year which says the Department must grow into one of the Government "big hitters" if it is to fully achieve its policy objectives.

The Committee also highlights how accounting failures by the Department over European Regional Development Funds led to hefty fines (see below) being imposed by the European Commission which will impact on key projects such as the Homes and Communities Agency and the Thames Gateway.

On this issue Communities and Local Government Select Committee Chair Dr Phyllis Starkey said: "We trust that the ongoing improvements which the Department has made will ensure that no more badly needed funding disappears as a result of the incompetence and mismanagement which characterised these programmes".

Commenting on the report more generally Dr Starkey added: "The Department has made progress towards the more effective delivery of some crucial aspects of Government policy such as increasing housing supply, creating cohesive communities and ensuring local government is able to deliver effectively for local people; but there is still further to go in order to meet the challenges ahead."

Eco-towns

The Committee noted the eco-towns policy was clearly in some difficulty. It recognised that this was bound to be affected adversely by the general slowdown in the housing market, but even so the difference between the original vision and the proposals now emerging is "considerable".

The ambition for a total of up to 100,000 eco-homes now looks highly unlikely to be achieved. The Committee comments: "the policy appears to be one of the victims of the Department's weaknesses in engaging and enthusing its delivery partners".

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Committee Membership is as follows: Dr Phyllis Starkey MP (Chair, Lab), Sir Paul Beresford MP (Con), Mr Clive Betts MP (Lab), John Cummings MP (Lab), Jim Dobbin MP (Lab/Co-op), Andrew George (Lib Dem), Mr Greg Hands MP (Con), Anne Main MP (Con), Mr Bill Olner MP (Lab), Dr John Pugh MP (Lib Dem), Emily Thornberry MP (Lab).

Opposition responses:

Responding to the report, Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Minister, Sarah Teather said:

"Instead of making sure all new homes were environmentally sustainable, the Government tried to fob people off with so-called eco-towns that met only minimum green standards.

"Not only did it fail to do this, but now it is clear that Gordon Brown's whole flawed eco-towns policy is doomed to failure."

And Caroline Spelman, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government, said:

"This savaging by the Labour Party's own backbenchers is a vote of no confidence in the Government's record. There is a litany of failure across the Government's flagship programmes from Home Information Packs, to eco-towns to its own internal management."