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- New laws passed to communities and councils to tackle public safety
New laws passed to communities and councils to tackle public safety
| Published | 27 August 2008 |
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New proposals announced today by Communities Secretary Hazel Blears could give communities the power to make local laws to tackle issues like community safety, vandalism and public nuisance that really matter to local neighbourhoods.
Councils will be able to 'set, sign and now sanction' local byelaws without always having to seek approval from Whitehall, but rather from their residents.
Communities are at the heart of the new proposals, ensuring that local people will have a direct say about the means to tackle local problems and the local laws that will ultimately affect them through greater consultation.
A consultation published today will also ask for views on whether councils and their communities should be able to revoke old and outdated byelaws independently, and also whether they should have the option of issuing sensible fixed penalties for breach of any new byelaws that are introduced as an efficient alternative to prosecuting through the magistrates' courts.
Byelaws are put in place to tackle local problems which are not covered by national legislation such as urinating in public places; interfering with road signs or life saving equipment; climbing on bridges and playing ball games near a highway.
Today's proposals will mean that councils will work even more closely with their communities to complete byelaws tailored to local problems without having to seek approval from Whitehall. This will make the system less bureaucratic, easier to understand and enforce, and devolve more power locally.
Secretary of State for Communities Hazel Blears said:
"Public spaces are not public urinals, and highways are dangerous environments for kids to play beside - we want children to play safe outside and for local people to enjoy their neighbourhoods.
"Communities, who know their areas' hotspots and problems, are best placed to identify and find solutions to the practical issues that matter to them. For the first time councils could now be able to set, sign and now sanction local laws without central government approval. This will make it easier to tackle problems, cut red tape, improve the wellbeing of their area and devolve more power to local people."
Notes for editors
1. Government today published the consultation document The making and enforcement of byelaws, asking for views on the legislation that will underpin a new regime for the making and enforcement of byelaws in England. The proposed new regime will result in byelaws that are less bureaucratic to make, easier to understand and easier to enforce. The consultation can be found at: www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/byelaws.
2. Presently, byelaws have to be confirmed by the Secretary of State before they come into force. Government considers that this process is not always necessary and is proposing that authorities be allowed to make byelaws without always being confirmed by the Secretary of State. Accountability will become a truly local matter, with extensive consultation on the proposed byelaw ensuring that those affected by any new byelaw have an opportunity to comment upon it.
3. Confirmation of certain byelaws by the relevant Secretary of State will be retained, for instance, byelaws that have broader scope than the community, such as an environmental impact, or where the byelaw is made by a transport authority, for instance an airport authority.
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