2009 proposals submitted under the Sustainable Communities Act

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2009 proposals submitted under the Sustainable Communities Act

Brighton & Hove City Council's submission to the Local Government Association (LGA) under the first round of the Sustainable Communities Act includes the following proposals:

Proposals

 1. That councils be given authority to offer discretionary business rate relief to encourage and sustain small and medium local businesses.

Rate relief could be offered in the form of:

i) Increasing the threshold for small business rate relief

ii) Disaggregating rate relief when businesses own more than two properties in a local area, offering a percentage reduction over three years on a second property (50% 1st year, 25% 2nd year, 10% 3rd year)

iii) Allow for a three month deferral of part or all of the rates

That any proposed discretionary rate should be consulted on with the business community via relevant business forums in the city.

That rate relief can be considered as a way of encouraging key existing or emerging sectors to the local economy, for example, creative sector or the environmental industries sector.

That 'local' be defined as either locally-owned, independent businesses or businesses where a significant percentage of their profits or turnover is considered to remain in the locality.

2. That legislation is changed to allow allotment holders to sell their surplus produce to local businesses.

Onus is on the purchaser to verify safety and origin of the food.

3. That the growing of food be introduced as part of the national curriculum either on or off school sites.

4. That national planning policy, specifically Planning Policy Statement 1 is changed to explicitly support local food provision.

Specifically the planning policy should encourage local food infrastructure, including abattoirs, bakeries, dairies and food hubs.

5. That the legal restriction is removed that prevents councils which own housing from borrowing against the Housing Revenue Account (rent).

6. That legislation is amended to allow local authorities to keep the money from the sale of council houses.  This money could then be used to build new local affordable houses or be invested in existing affordable housing.

7. That the installation and use of renewable energy by households is made more accessible and affordable by:

i) Requiring all energy companies to make the process by which households can sell surplus energy from their renewable sources to energy companies simpler

ii) Dividing the national grant fund for supporting residential installation of renewables between local councils for administration locally

8. That councils are given the power to set vehicle speed limits on public roads at any maximum below existing regulations, according to local needs.

Use of this proposal would require consultation with communities likely to be affected.  We would also consult with police and other appropriate public agencies, for example the health authority.

9. That legislation is introduced that requires supermarkets:

i) To reduce their use of food packaging that is non-recyclable

ii) To provide recycling facilities for plastic not recycled by the council

iii) To ensure that the plastic is recycled or, where this is not possible, to bear the cost of treating it as landfill waste