§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what steps he has taken to require community strategies prepared by local authorities under section 4 of the Local Government Act 2000 to be amended; and which strategies were affected and for what reason; [24922]
(2) how many community strategies are expected to be prepared by local authorities, pursuant to section 4 of the Local Government Act 2000; and how many have been approved and adopted; [24920]
(3) what procedures he has set in place for monitoring progress on the completion of community strategies, pursuant to section 4 of the Local Government Act 2000; [24919]
(4) what plans he has to publish a timetable for the completion by local authorities of their community strategies, pursuant to section 4 of the Local Government Act 2000. [24921]
§ Dr. WhiteheadEvery principal local authority is under the duty to prepare a community strategy. The Government's statutory guidance on "Preparing Community Strategies" (DETR December 2000) explains that the timetable for the development of the community strategy and its contents are at the discretion of each local authority in consultation with its partners and local people. Through discussion with the local community, they will be best placed to prioritise local needs and devise the most effective means of delivering them. Accordingly, the Government will not be imposing a timetable for preparing strategies nor do the Government intend to vet them or require councils to amend them. Proposals for a revised Best Value Performance Indicator on community strategies for 2002–03 were set out in a recent consultation paper "Best Value Performance Indicators 2002–03: Consultation"—DTLR November 2001. Local authorities' performance against these indicators are published. The Government will announce their conclusions on the consultation soon.