Submissions & Responses

SEC gives evidence on Local Government Financial Sustainability

South East Councils (SEC) has responded to the Public Accounts Committee’s inquiry: “Local Government Financial Sustainability” Local government is under extreme financial pressure. The National Audit Office found in 2021 that English local authorities had lost around a quarter of their spending power over the preceding decade, with government-funded spending power over 50% lower. While […]

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SEC responds on objectives & principles of local finances

South East Councils (SEC) has responded to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s consultation: “Local authority funding reform: objectives and principles” This consultation sought views on the approach to determining funding allocations for local authorities and covered ways we can reduce demands on local government and increase local flexibility, for example through changes

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SEC gives evidence on sustainability of local government finances

South East Councils (SEC) has responded to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee’s consultation: “The Funding and Sustainability of Local Government Finance” As Government seeks to reform local government finance, this inquiry is considering whether the local government finance system is fit for purpose and assess how it can meet the needs of local

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SEC responds to consultation on Right to Buy

South East Councils (SEC) has responded to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) consultation: “Reforming the Right to Buy” The consultation sought views on how the Right to Buy should be reformed to deliver a fairer, better value and more sustainable scheme where longstanding tenants can buy their own homes and how councils can replace

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SEC responds to MHCLG consultation on planning reforms

South East Councils (SEC) has responded to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) inquiry: “Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system”. The consultation seeks views on the Government’s proposed approach to revising the NPPF. It also seeks views on a series of wider national planning

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Public Accounts Committee Cites South East Councils

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has today published its report on Levelling up funding to local government. The heavyweight Select Committee is responsible for scrutinising Government projects seeking value for money. The report finds that only £1.24bn from the Government’s three funds as of September 2023 has been spent, out of a total of £10.47bn allocated

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SEC Responds to PAC Inquiry on Levelling Up Funding

South East Councils (SEC) has responded to the Public Accounts Committee‘s (PAC) inquiry: “Levelling up funding to local government”. The consultation considers the Government’s £9.5bn in levelling up funding, in support of over 4,000 local projects, to be spent by 31 March 2026 – with a further billion pounds in funding yet to be awarded.

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SEC Responds to DLUHC’s Local Plans Consultation

South East Councils (SEC) has responded to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ (DLUHC) consultation: “Plan-making reforms: consultation on implementation”. The consultation considers the Department’s proposals to make local plans (and minerals and waste plans) simpler, faster to prepare, and more accessible. SEC Chair Cllr Nick Adams-King said: “Local Plans are an essential

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SEC responds to Government’s planning policy consultation

South East Councils (SEC) has responded to the Government’s consultation: “Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill: reforms to national planning policy”. The consultation is being led by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. It seeks views on the Government’s proposed approach to updating the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), their proposed approach to preparing National

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South East APPG launches transport infrastructure inquiry

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the South East has launched an inquiry into transport infrastructure. This follows the unanimous decision of the group’s officers to run the inquiry during its Annual General Meeting in the Palace of Westminster last Summer. It is the group’s second inquiry, following the first into levelling up and local

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