The number of ‘red tape' data collections councils submit to Whitehall has been slashed by almost one-quarter over the past year, communities secretary Eric Pickles has claimed.
Published on 11 April, the 2012-13 data collection list shows councils should now make 156, instead of 193, data reports to central government. Mr Pickles has removed, for example, the need for councils to submit planning monitoring reports or housing subsidy forms three times a year.
