Labour's Electoral Programme (Part 7)

Local Democracy

1. Transfer responsibility for local transport decisions to elected and accountable transport authorities and partnerships (43)

2. Legislate to give local authorities more powers to create better bus networks (44)

3. Devolve decisions over the running of regional and local transport services, so that areas can bring trains, buses, ferries and trams into a single network (45)

4. Monitor the operation of Right to Buy in order to empower local authorities to better manage their housing stock (page 57)

5. Support local authorities who want to build more social homes and encourage those who are not building to do so, whilst reforming the Housing Revenue account to build new homes to the maximum potential and to improve existing homes (58)

6. Tackle land banking by giving local authorities powers to charge developers who refuse to build, despite having planning permission (58) 

7. Reform the Housing Revenue Account system to ensure that communities receive a larger share of gains from developments (58)

8. City and County Regions that come together will be given historic new powers over transport, housing, skills and economic development (60)

9. Provide a fairer funding formula for local government linked to need and ensuring that local authorities are properly resourced by allowing them to control more tax revenues and spending in their areas (61) 

10. Devolve new powers to local authorities and groups of local authorities for skills and employment support, economic growth and health and well-being (62)

11. Empower communuties to shape their high streets to tackle the prolification of betting shops, fast food outlets and pay day lenders; whilst creating more demand for town centre shops by building appropriate housing near to town centres (63) 

12. Legislate for a new settlement that devolves significant new powers to local government (113)

Some of the above points can only be legislated from Westminster for English areas; for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland they fall under the remit of their devolved administrations.