Local Authorities: Development Corporations

House of Lords written question – answered at on 1 November 2010.

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Photo of Lord Rooker Lord Rooker Labour

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the local authorities in West Northamptonshire have the strategic management expertise to take on the role of the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation.

Photo of Baroness Hanham Baroness Hanham The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

On 14 October the public bodies review announcement confirmed that the work of the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) will be devolved to a local authority led delivery vehicle. The process will be taken forward in a staged and managed way to ensure build-up of capacity in the local authorities. Handover will begin, subject to parliamentary agreement, with the return of the planning powers to the local authorities in April 2011 other than for the very large applications which will follow at a later date. Changes will be made to the board to bring the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) under majority local authority control and local democratic accountability. Over the next year or so, the local authorities and delivery partners will finalise proposals for an alternative local authority led delivery body to succeed WNDC and the corporation will continue in its strategic delivery role until such time as the handover is complete.

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