HC Deb 16 July 1958 vol 591 cc105-7W
Mr. Ellis Smith

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will set out in a table the grants made for schemes of open space under Sections 93 and 94 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, and the equivalent Sections of the 1954 Act, showing the total capital expenditure allowed since the Acts came into operation, the amount for 1955–56, and the percentage of such grants paid to the London County Council, Staffordshire, Lancashire, Hammersmith, Acton, Ealing, Oxford, Southall, Windsor, Barking, Hackney, Kingston-upon-Hull, Marylebone, Shoreditch, Stoke-on-Trent, Stockport, Manchester, Salford, Oldham, Eccles, and Preston, respectively.

Mr. H. Brooke

The total expenditure by all authorities in England and Wales on public open space schemes in respect of which grant has been paid, and the total amount of grants paid in respect of that expenditure, are as follows:

Expenditure Grants
Annual Lump sum
£ £ £
Financial year 1955–56 980,160 14,149 4,454
Totals up to 31st March, 1958 1,303,481 31,628 21,932

No expenditure on public open space schemes which attract grant had been incurred by Staffordshire, Lancashire, Stoke-on-Trent, Stockport, Manchester, Salford, Oldham, Eccles or Preston up to 31st March, 1958.

The information in respect of the other authorities referred to in the Question is as follows:

Authority Total in 1955–56
Capital Expenditure Annual Lump Sum
£ £ £
London C.C. 799,464 11,134
Hammersmith 121,566 2,186
Acton
Ealing
Oxford
Southall
Windsor
Barking 28,912 487
Hackney 3,581 65
Kingston-upon-Hull 10,454 165 130
Marylebone 5,944 1,056
Shoreditch 3,083 1,110
Total £ 973,004 14,037 2,296
Total to 31.3.1958
London C.C. 799,464 12,618
Hammersmith 121,566 6,453
Acton 19,735 587
Ealing 13,107 328 433
Oxford 9,577 520
Southall 14,264 613 434
Windsor 6,291 173
Barking 28,912 1,461
Hackney 3,847 203
Kingston-upon-Hull 10,454 495 130
Marylebone 5,944 1,189
Shoreditch 3,083 1,233
Total £ 1,036,244 23,451 3,419

The capital expenditure is shown for the year in which grant was first paid, but may not all have been incurred in that year. Grant is normally paid annually for sixty years as a percentage of the annual loan charges on the expenditure, but when the total expenditure is small, it may be paid as a single lump sum payment.

At 31st March, 1958, a number of claims from previous years were outstanding including claims from the London County Council going back to 1955–56.

Some public open space is also provided as part of comprehensive redevelopment, but separate figures are not available.

For expenditure incurred earlier than 1st April, 1955, the rate of grant was the rate appropriate to the year concerned, i.e. from 20 per cent. to 50 per cent. according to the financial resources of the local authority.

From 1st April, 1955, under the revised scheme introduced under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1954, the rate of grant has normally been 50 per cent., but it may be increased to not more than 75 per cent. according to the financial resources of the authority and the amount of the expenditure. The rate of grant on expenditure incurred since 1st April, 1955, in all the cases in which the hon. Member is interested is 50 per cent., except for Southall, where it was 60 per cent. for 1956–57.

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