§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the decision of Barnet council to terminate its LA21 partnership scheme. [173929]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Government want to see sustainable development become a mainstream issue for local authorities, their partners, and local communities. We believe that the most effective way to achieve this is to build upon the experience of partnership working and community engagement gained through Local Agenda 21 (LA21) and subsume LA21 strategies within statutory community strategies. These are required, by law, to promote sustainable development. Many councils have already done this, and we encourage others to follow suit. It is for authorities to decide whether to have additional plans or a dedicated partnership to support the delivery of sustainable outcomes, but we would expect them to ensure these are in place if LA21 is to end.