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No real rights in empowerment white paper
9 July 2008
Friends of the Earth today (Wednesday 9 July 2008) criticised the Government's white paper on community empowerment for not going far enough to restore local democracy.
The paper aims to give communities more of a say over their own lives but the environmental campaign group says this is in opposition to proposals in the Planning Bill to remove local people's right to have a say on decisions about major projects such as roads, airports and power stations in their area.
Friends of the Earth's Planning Campaigner, Naomi Luhde-Thompson, said: "Hazel Blears claims this white paper will improve democracy but the Government is undermining the very concept by handing decisions on major projects to an unelected quango, the Infrastructure Planning Commission."
"The Planning Bill is a significant step backwards for local democracy - it removes accountability, centralises decision making and reduces local people's opportunities to have a say over their own lives."
"Empowerment is vital for thriving communities - but it must include people's right to participate in major decisions about their local area."
The empowerment white paper, Communities in Control, Real People, Real Power was released today by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). The Planning Bill is due for its second reading in the House of Lords on 15 July 2008.
Notes
1. More than nine out of ten people want to have a say over planning decisions affecting their local area, according to a survey released by Friends of the Earth on 25 June 2008. For more information see: www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/ ¬
nine_out_of_ten_want_a_say_24062008.html
2. For more information on Friends of the Earth's planning campaign, see: www.foe.co.uk/resource/local/planning/news/ ¬
third_reading_planning_bill_9576.html
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jul 2008
