Localism

Localism is the cornerstone of the coalition Government's plans to hand power back to local communities. The Government believes that local people, businesses and councils are at the heart of communities and they are determined to put the wider community back in control with the choices and chances to shape the future of their local area.

The Localism Act is the drive to bring about more 'bottom up' as opposed to 'top down' local decision making. The main measures of the Localism Act can be divided into four key headings:

• New freedom and flexibilities for local government
• New rights and powers for communities
• New reforms to make the planning system more democratic and more effective
• New reforms to ensure that decisions about housing are taken locally

The Government has also published a Plain English Guide to the Localism Act which provides an overview of the main measures included in the Act and more information is also available at the My Community Rights website.

When can we use the rights in the Act?

Different parts of the Act are coming into effect at different times. You can check the latest information on the Communities and Local Government Department website.

Localism in Action - The South West Guide also provides a number of useful case studies, tools and tips from the South West of England.

The Localism Act has a number of implications for how we deliver services and work with our communities.