New minister opposes changes to planning
Author: Michael Burton, LocalGov.co.uk |
New Liberal Democrat local government minister Don Foster faces his first challenge in office with a motion at his party’s conference in Brighton to oppose the government’s plans to relax controls over building conservatories and extensions.
The motion, due tomorrow morning (Wednesday), aims to block plans to allow new extensions to go ahead without planning permission. The plans aim to boost local building jobs as part of a wider infrastructure growth agenda.
The former Liberal Democrat councillor and now MP for Bath, who was a surprise appointment as minister in the government reshuffle three weeks ago, said he could only ‘guess’ which way the motion would go, adding: ‘Many of my colleagues are concerned and they’ll make their views forcefully.. But the government is consulting on the issue.’
Speaking at a Localis conference fringe meeting in Brighton on September 24 Mr Foster pledged to roll out the localism agenda by encouraging more community groups to exercise their right to bid for council services.
He added: ‘I am not here just to defend councils. My role is to defend the individuals whom local government serves. I’m here to ensure communities have the opportunity to engage in decision-making.’
In an interview with The MJ afterwards Mr Foster emphasised he was ‘very pro-local government’ but that he aimed to help councils deliver the localism agenda. He also admitted that his appointment came as ‘a total surprise.’
* See full interview in The MJ, 27 September, and at the www.themj.co.uk