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Local government has backed PM Gordon Brown's commitment to tackle the housing crisis, revealed in his outline plans for the next Parliament. The prime minister's unprecedented pre-Queen's Speech announcement contained a raft of legislation which will impact heavily on local government. One of the new proposed pieces of legislation was the Housing and Regeneration Bill, which would give tenants new rights and responsibilities, as well as bringing public sector land into the housing system. Mr Brown also said there would be a 40,000 increase in the number of new homes built every year. Funding social enterprises to provide public services for young people would come from money in dormant bank accounts, and this would be made law through an unclaimed assets Bill. Mr Brown said: ‘Behind the unclaimed assets Bill is our determination that money in dormant bank accounts will be used to improve our country's youth and community facilities.' Councils will also be given the power to set up road pricing schemes under the Local Transport Bill. Plans for constitutional reform brought calls for a new relationship between central government and councils. An LGA spokesman said: ‘We want to see a radical devolution of powers from central to local government and local people, with a local government finance system that is fair, transparent and sustainable.' Mr Brown also announced the creation of a new joint social care and health care regulator, Ofcare, as part of the Health and Social Care Bill. ‘If this all-encompassing inspectorate is to reduce councils of the burden of bureaucracy, then it must reflect the joined-up culture and attitude of local government in its work,' said chair of the LGA's community wellbeing board, Cllr David Rogers.

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WHITEHALL

Brown list of priority Bills welcomed

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