Tag: Department for Levelling Up

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 21 March 2023.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has given social enterprise Public Practice £1 million to help councils recruit and develop skilled planners.

More skilled planning professionals will be recruited by councils following a £1 million funding boost from the government, the Housing Minister announced today.

Social enterprise Public Practice will use the money to help councils recruit and develop skilled planners, increase awareness about careers in local government and share best practice around improving communities in the public sector.

The money will help councils attract and develop those in the profession leading to higher skilled jobs, speed up property development and create better neighbourhoods that people are proud to call home.

Minister for Housing and Planning Rachel Maclean said:

Planning plays such an important role in shaping our neighbourhoods, making sure we have the right housing and infrastructure to level up the nation.

It is essential that our planning authorities have the skills and resources they need and today’s funding will make sure the sector is better equipped to deliver a quality service for local communities.

Pooja Agrawal, CEO of Public Practice said:

Planning and placemaking is one of local government’s most important functions as it shapes the places we all live in, work and visit.

However, it is clear that local authorities have substantial skills gaps which hinders the ability of developers and councils to deliver good quality new and refurbished homes, sustainable public spaces or accessible town centres and high streets.

We are grateful to the Department of Levelling Up for this funding. We have a proud track record of bringing private sector planning and placemaking talent into local authorities and helping them to forge long-term careers in the public sector.

Now is not the time to rest on our laurels but to re-double our efforts. We have a mission to help every council in England to find the skilled planners and place professionals they need to make communities and neighbourhoods better across our nation.

The government recently published a consultation on increases to planning fees to generate additional income for councils to help deliver and improve planning services, making sure communities have the right infrastructure.

This is alongside a wider programme of support and investment in high quality data and digital technology to reduce the administrative burdens on local planning authorities and support faster more efficient decision-making.

Public Practice has attracted more than 2,500 applications to its placement programme over the past five years, 92% of whom have been working outside the public sector. Some 73% of applicants have never worked in the public sector and 53% have never previously applied for a job in the public sector.

Nine-tenths of Public Practice Associates have chosen to continue working in the public sector following the conclusion of the year-long programme. The not-for-profit social enterprise has a mission to rebuild skills and capacity in the public sector to help improve places and communities across England.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 20 March 2023.

Thames Freeport has received final government sign off, unlocking new high-quality jobs and much-needed investment.

New high-quality jobs and much-needed investment for the Thames Estuary region will be unlocked today, as the Thames Freeport receives final government sign off.

The Freeport will now receive up to £25 million seed funding from government and potentially hundreds of millions in locally retained business rates to drive growth in the UK’s advanced manufacturing, biomanufacturing, logistics, and low carbon industries.

It will help drive investment into sectors including automated and electric vehicles, renewable energy and battery storage, generating thousands of jobs and boosting the local economy.

Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison said:

We’re delivering on our mission to grow the economy and level up right across the UK.

Thames Freeport is up and running and will bring high quality jobs, investment and trading opportunities for businesses in the region.

Taking full advantage of the freedoms of leaving the EU, businesses in Freeports are offered generous tax incentives and a simplified customs procedure, unlocking much-needed investment and high-quality jobs.

Robin Mortimer, Maritime UK Chair said:

This latest wave of Freeport approvals is a major boost for UK maritime and the wider levelling-up agenda. Business, and the wider communities, will now be able to benefit from the wave of investment, development and jobs that Freeports are projected to generate.

Thames Freeport estimates that it will generate over 12,000 new jobs, and as a gateway to London, its hubs are well placed to provide global shipping routes for exporting UK produced goods and importing vital products for supply chains.

The hub includes three tax sites located at:

• London Gateway – the UK’s most integrated logistics hub and one of the world’s fastest growing container ports, connecting over 130 ports and 65 countries and handling almost 2 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU) annually
• Tilbury – London’s major port, with a throughput of 16 million tonnes per annum with an estimated value of £8.7 billion
• Ford’s world-class Dagenham Engine Plant – London’s largest manufacturing location for over 90 years

The government’s Freeport programmes is moving at pace, with five sites now fully operational in England, already creating thousands of jobs. In January the Government confirmed two new Green Freeports will be established in Inverness and Cromarty Firth and Firth of Forth.

Freeports are central to unleashing economic growth across the entire United Kingdom and will drive the UK’s shift to a dynamic, low-carbon economy, helping businesses to collaborate, innovate, and develop the technologies and supply chains that will underpin our journey to Net Zero.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 20 March 2023.

The Levelling Up Secretary and Mayor Andy Street have signed a landmark deeper devolution deal for the West Midlands putting more cash and power in the hands of local leaders.

The Levelling Up Secretary and Mayor Andy Street have today (20 March) signed a landmark deeper devolution deal for the West Midlands, marking a seismic shift in power, funding and responsibility from Whitehall to the region.

The deal puts more cash and power in the hands of local leaders to invest in the priorities that local communities truly care about, such as better bus and train services, skills and housing.

A new long-term funding settlement will enable the Mayor and local councils to plan for the long term, with certainty, and unlock tangible benefits for almost 3 million people living in the area.

Speaking from Coventry today, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said:

Visionary local leaders like Andy Street understand the needs of their areas better than decision-makers in Whitehall – that is why it is vital that we put more power and control in their hands.

This deal goes further than we’ve ever gone before. It will give the Mayor unprecedented power to spend on local priorities and more control over transport, skills and housing– the things people truly care about.

Today marks a bold new frontier in devolution in this country, and it’s fantastic to see the West Midlands right at the forefront.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA chair, said:

This is a truly landmark moment for our region as this Deeper Devolution Deal has resulted in Whitehall granting significant powers and funding to the West Midlands – recognising the importance of local leaders on the ground having greater financial autonomy and decision-making authority.

Team West Midlands has worked incredibly hard to agree the best possible deal for our residents having earned the trust of Government thanks to our track record of delivery since the formation of the Combined Authority. Devolution is very much a journey and our task now is to work together to show the further trust placed in us is well founded.

I want to pay tribute to the Prime Minister, Chancellor and Secretary of State for Levelling Up for their vision and bravery in making this deal happen. Together, we can continue to improve quality of life for local people right across our region in the months and years ahead.

The deal confirmed today deepens existing powers which have already delivered significant wins for the region. New measures include:

• A new long-term funding settlement, including the right to retain 100% of business rates for 10 years.
• A wide-ranging partnership with Homes England, with a commitment to work towards investing £400m in the West Midlands by 2026.
• Further support for regeneration and infrastructure with £100m of brownfield funding and £60 million of investment in the metro line extension from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill.
• Levelling up zones, backed by 25-year business rate retention, to generate jobs and investment.
• Greater control over public transport with a new rail partnership with Great British Railways and the devolution of the payment of the bus service operators grant.
• The establishment of a transport ‘sandbox’ to put the West Midlands at the forefront of transport innovation, with additional commitments to a new Strategic Innovation Partnership and better access to finance for local businesses.
• More oversight and control over adult skills funding and more responsibility over developing and delivering careers advice.
• Devolution of funding to retrofit buildings, to bring down energy bills for households across the West Midlands.
• A new partnership with national arts and culture organisations to harness the West Midlands’ globally renowned cultural strengths.
• Tools to support the roll-out of high-speed broadband across the region and £4 million for devices and data to get more people online.

Alongside these powers, a new framework will ensure that decision-makers in areas with devolution deals are accountable to their residents and deliver value for money, with a clear ladder of intervention to respond to underperformance.

The milestone comes days after the West Midlands was announced as one of 12 new Investment Zone areas backed with £80 million over five years including generous tax incentives to drive local growth.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 17 March 2023.

A consultation has been published today on the design of a new levy to be paid by developers to fund affordable housing and local infrastructure such as GP surgeries, transport links and schools.

• Consultation on the design of a new infrastructure levy to be paid by developers published today
• Councils to be given new powers to set levy rates on new development and spend on what they need locally
• New ‘right to require’ aims to increase affordable housing delivery and stop developers negotiating down contributions

A new levy will see developers pay a fairer share for affordable housing and local infrastructure such as roads, schools and GP surgeries the Government has announced today, Friday 17 March.

The infrastructure levy, which will replace section 106 contributions for most developments, will prevent developers from negotiating down the amount they contribute to the community when they bring forward new projects.

Under the proposals, the amount developers will have to pay will be calculated once a project is complete, instead of at the stage the site is given planning permission. This will make sure that councils benefit from increases in land value, which can be significant for large developments that take years to complete.

Councils will also be given powers to set rates themselves, putting power in the hands of local leaders to deliver what their communities need.

The levy will also give communities more control over how this money is spent. A portion of the money will be passed directly to communities as a ‘neighbourhood share’ to fund their infrastructure priorities, while councils will be required to engage with communities and create a infrastructure delivery strategy.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove said:

Central to our levelling up mission is ensuring local communities can take back control.

The infrastructure levy will do just that – giving local leaders the tools to bring forward more affordable housing and the transport links, schools and GP surgeries  their communities need.

It will also speed up delivery and put an end to lengthy negotiations with developers seeking to shirk their responsibility to provide for local people.

The levy is designed to deliver at least as much affordable housing as the current system. Councils will be given a new ‘right to require’, so they can dictate how much of the levy is delivered through affordable housing on-site in new developments and how much is given in cash for other infrastructure, such as new schools, transport links or GP surgeries.

The ‘right to require’ will also speed up the process and stop developers from negotiating down their affordable housing contributions as they will have a legal obligation to meet the amount set by the council.

The levy will be introduced as part of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, and a consultation on the Government’s proposed system has today been published.

The Government recognises that the levy will be a significant change so it will be introduced through ‘test and learn’ over a 10-year period. A small number of councils will implement the levy initially, testing how it operates in practice, before being rolled out more widely, to make sure the Levy can successfully deliver on its objectives.

The consultation will run for 12 weeks and the Government anticipates that it will consult further on proposed regulations, when the responses to this consultation have been fully considered

The announcement follows the publication last week of a new action plan to speed up delivery of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects such as transport links and offshore wind farms.

The Government has also today published a consultation on a new Environmental Outcomes Report. This new approach will allow us to replace over-complicated EU regulations with a new system of environmental assessment that is tailored to the country’s needs and supports our ambitious environmental targets.

The new system will enshrine at least the same overall level of environmental protection in law. It will allow the Government to streamline processes and reduce the burden of bureaucracy, making sure environmental assessment is focused on what really matters.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 14 March 2023.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 14 March 2023.

Thirty-nine of the country’s biggest developers have signed the contract providing relief for thousands of leaseholders and tenants.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 8 March 2023.

Up to £233.5 million allocated to the Supporting Families programme for 2023/24, in addition to the £1.9 billion allocated over the past 10 years.

Thousands more vulnerable families with multiple and complex issues such as housing insecurity, poor education attainment and substance misuse are to receive tailored support to turn their lives around through a flagship government programme which this week marks its 10th year.

Over 100,000 more families in England will benefit from allocations totalling £233.5 million announced today (8 March 2023) from the Supporting Families programme. This is on top of the 650,000 vulnerable families that have received support to help them turn their lives around and build brighter futures through the ‘whole family’ approach to tackling problems.  It bringing the total to more than £1.9 billion since the scheme as launched in 2013.

Through the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities programme, families are assigned a dedicated keyworker, who works with every member of the family and brings together local services to resolve issues as early as possible before they develop into crises.

The programme directly helps families who are facing multiple and often overlapping vulnerabilities, such as: financial or housing insecurity, poor mental or physical health, domestic abuse, children at risk of harm, poor educational attainment or substance misuse.

The programme includes work to help people leave abusive relationships, access support for mental health issues and find work, for example.

The programme provides value-for-money, returning £2.28 in taxpayer savings per every £1 spent, through diverting families away from acute services such as children’s social care and the welfare and justice systems.  It has reduced the number of children on the programme entering care by 32%, reduced the number of juvenile custodial sentences by almost 40% and the proportion of adults on the programme claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance decreased by 11%.

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:

Since it began ten years ago, Supporting Families has provided vital help to thousands of families right across the country who face real challenges.

The results are clear for all to see – the scheme has reduced the number of children entering care, cut the number of juvenile custodial sentences, helped many people into employment and reduced costs for the taxpayer.

That is why we are backing the programme even further, with over £230 million this coming year to fund skilled keyworkers who help vulnerable and disadvantaged families turn their lives around.

The Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Felicity Buchan said:

Through its ground breaking whole-family early interventions, the Supporting Families programme has made a hugely positive impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of families.

The last 10 years have seen significant positive changes, providing early access to better support from the right people at the right time – enabling families to overcome multiple and serious challenges.

Everyone involved in delivering the scheme can be really proud that they have supported some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged families in our communities.

One family who has been supported by the programme includes a mum from Northumberland who was struggling with post-natal depression, financial pressures and finding the right support for her children’s additional needs.  She was assigned a lead professional from Northumberland County Council’s Early Help team who supported mum to overcome the challenges she faced so she can give her children and the family a more settled and secure future.

At the 2021 Spending Review, the programme was awarded a 40% cash terms uplift in funding. In the current delivery period up to 2025, the programme is backed by £695 million funding and is aiming to support a further 300,000 more families to make sustained, positive changes to their lives. In addition, the programme started a new joint governance arrangement with DfE.

The government has also published the 2022/23 Supporting Families Annual Report. It is the 7th edition of the Annual Report, and reports on the number of outcomes have been achieved at national and local level by the programme.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 6 March 2023.

‘Make Things Right’ campaign encourages residents to complain to their landlord before escalating to the Housing Ombudsman.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove is urging social housing tenants to complain about substandard housing today (6 March 2023), spearheading the launch of the government’s ‘Make Things Right’ advertising campaign.

Residents are being encouraged to make their voices heard by making a complaint to their landlord in the first instance and then escalating to the Housing Ombudsman if they are unhappy with the landlord’s final response.

This follows decisive action to protect tenants in social housing, including time limits for landlords to investigate and fix damp and mould under Awaab’s Law and mandatory qualifications for social housing managers to make sure residents receive a quality service.

The national campaign will see advertisements using images of black mould and leaking ceilings run across social media platforms including neighbourhood app NextDoor, and on radio stations and streaming platforms like Spotify in over 6 languages.

The campaign will also fund training in 2 pilot areas – London and the North West – so they can support more residents who have problems in their homes.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 2 March 2023.

A new Memorandum of Understanding outlines the responsibilities of the Financial Reporting Council as shadow system leader for local audit.

The local audit system in England is set to be strengthened as the new responsibilities of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) are given the green light today.

Local audit is the process whereby a local authority’s accounts are independently verified, so taxpayers can be assured the information provided is reliable, true and fair. By setting new responsibilities for the FRC in this area, the government aims to build a more resilient system that operates effectively so local taxpayers get the transparency and accountability they need.

As outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding published jointly by DLUHC and the FRC today, system leadership will enable a more coherent and quicker response to challenges across the local audit system which covers local government, NHS bodies, fire and rescue authorities, local police bodies, internal drainage boards and national park authorities.

This marks a significant milestone in the delivery of reforms committed to by Government following the Redmond Review, which found that the local audit system was too fragmented to operate effectively. A key recommendation of the review was that a system leader should be created, which should also report on local audit.

Neil Harris, Director of Local Audit at the FRC, will lead a new local audit department at the organisation with five key responsibilities:

• leading a coherent and coordinated policy response to challenges arising across the local audit system;
• facilitating stronger governance across the local audit framework;
• leading work to improve competition, bolster capability and market supply;
• overseeing the entire quality framework for local audit;
• and reporting on the local audit system.

DLUHC has acted as interim system leader since July 2021 through the local audit liaison committee. The Financial Reporting Council will take on its new role later in the year.

Lee Rowley, Minister for Local Government, said:

The Government remains strongly committed to building a stronger more resilient local audit system, properly equipped to deliver the transparency and accountability which local taxpayers deserve.

Sir Jon Thompson, CEO of the Financial Reporting Council, said:

We welcome this new role for the FRC and are committed to working with DLUHC and the rest of the local audit system to address the challenges facing the sector.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 1 March 2023.

The government today (1 March 2023) announced a further year of funding for its Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Programme for 2023 to 2024, to support Hong Kongers coming to live in the UK under the BN(O) visa.

Today’s package will help individuals and their families on the BN(O) visa route to come and settle in the UK. Since its launch at the start of 2021, over 160,000 eligible Hong Kongers and their family members have chosen to take up this offer and applied for the BN(O) visa. They can start their new lives in the UK, free to live, work, and study, in virtually any capacity, on a pathway to citizenship.

The Welcome Programme is announcing:

• £2.6 million of funding for UK-wide and regional projects, inviting bids from voluntary, community and social enterprise (‘VCSE’) organisations.
• Continued funding for the network of 12 Welcome Hubs across the UK, helping BN(O)s understand and connect to services in their local area.
• Further funding for On Your Side, the reporting and support service for BN(O)s and all other East and Southeast Asian communities in the UK who experience or witness racism or any other form of hate*.
• Further funding for English language classes, and destitution support if needed, provided through local authorities in England. Over 3,600 BN(O)s have been supported with English through this funding.
• Continued updates to our dedicated GOV.UK page, including our Welcome Pack, available in English and Cantonese.

Felicity Buchan, Minister for the Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Programme said:

BN(O)s have already become a vibrant part of the UK’s communities, making a fantastic contribution to our national life, and creating new businesses and social enterprises.

Continuing our support reflects our commitment to our new friends and neighbours on the BN(O) route. We are proud that so many have chosen to make the UK their home.

Since its launch in 2021, the British National (Overseas) (‘BN(O)’) visa route has been a success, with nearly 154,000 BN(O)s and their dependents granted their visa.

In previous funding rounds, the Welcome Programme has funded VCSE organisations to support BN(O)s in areas such as employability, mental health and wellbeing, and social integration, making a huge difference to people’s lives.

One such project is the Hong Kong Business Hub, supporting people in London and the North West of England, which provides professional coaching to entrepreneurs wanting to start their own businesses. After receiving professional coaching from the Hong Kong Business Hub, Rachel Tang and her partner secured a franchise deal to open their own bubble tea shop in London.

Another is the Health for All group in Yorkshire and Humberside, which offer a range of services, including English language, employability, and housing support.

One BN(O), who became involved as a volunteer at the Leeds-based organisation, said: “Volunteering at Health for All has helped me achieve my career goal. I like helping people with language needs, so I’m starting their interpreter course where I hope to help many others in the future.”

The Welcome Programme has also funded UKHK (a project of Welcome Churches), which has been running Friendship Festivals across the UK to bring together BN(O)s and their new communities. So far they have run 14 festivals in cities including Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast, and Cardiff, sharing food, entertainment and local traditions from Hong Kong.

If you are a BN(O) and want to find out more about the Welcome Programme, please see our dedicated GOV.UK page, available in English and Cantonese.