Clause 48 - Notification requirements relating to designations
Housing Bill
11:15 am
Mr John Hayes (South Holland and The Deepings, Conservative)
There is a need to elaborate a little on some of the issues that we raised about notification. When we talked about them briefly a few moments ago, the Minister rightly said that they were dealt with under clause 48. It highlights the requirements on the local authority to notify all persons affected in the case of an area that is additionally designated. That is important because several implications might arise from the designation, such as the status of the area, its reputation, how difficult it will be to let property in the area and the incentivising or otherwise of landlords to come into, or leave, the area.
All such matters are linked partly to the way in which people are informed and consulted about a designation. The Minister said that the public will be made aware of the process by a variety of means. We debated earlier how we defined the ''reasonable steps'' to consult and to inform about people about the designations. I am also interested in how the designation will impact on all the parties concerned when it has been put in place, and in the relationship between the notification process and the outcome. I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will explain a little
about that because it is an important matter. It is, as he said, a significant new power for local authorities. However, there is some doubt about it among landlords and others. To assuage their fears, the more that we can convince them that the provision will be applied in an appropriate, highly targeted fashion and that everyone will be informed and notified properly, the better the Bill will be received and the more effective it is likely to be in operation.