Grant Shapps has insisted that communities will be kept firmly in the driving seat and able to determine the future of their local areas. In his response to a report from the CLG select committee, Mr Shapps rejected the committee's call for a top-down national strategy for regeneration, insisting that decisions on regeneration activities and schemes should rest with local people. He has published a refreshed regeneration toolkit, highlighting the range of powers and tools devolved from Whitehall to Town Halls, businesses and residents themselves to drive the regeneration they want and need in their areas. New tools introduced over the past year include:
*greater freedoms for cities - bespoke "City Deals" to help England's eight core cities to create new jobs and generate economic growth
*boost for housing development - including a £420 million Get Britain Building scheme which will help get stalled developments back on track; and over £150 million to help bring empty homes back into use
*The Localism Act, including new community rights, neighbourhood planning, the general power of competence, and discretionary business rate discounts
Download a copy of the toolkit from the CLG website.
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