Agenda item

Bills

European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill

The Bill enables the Government to notify the European Council of the United Kingdom’s intention to withdraw from the European Union and to allow formal withdrawal negotiations to begin under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union.

Local Government Finance Bill

The Bill will require 100 per cent of business rates to be retained within local government (subject to redistribution among councils), abolish the revenue support grant, provide for councils to be compensated for valuation appeal losses, and make various other changes to the local government finance system.

Statutory Instruments

Date inforce

The Childcare (Early Years Provision Free of Charge) (Extended Entitlement) Regulations 2016, S.I. No. 1257

The Regulations make detailed provision about eligibility for, and delivery of, the extended entitlement to free childcare enacted in the Childcare Act 2016. The entitlement is enjoyed by working parents of three- or four-year-olds and amounts to 30 hours per week for 38 weeks per year. Local authorities (including the Common Council acting in that capacity) will be responsible for delivering the entitlement.

1 September 2017

The Non-Domestic Rating (Chargeable Amounts) (England) Regulations 2016, S.I. No. 1265

The Regulations provide transitional relief for business ratepayers facing increased bills as a result of the 2017 revaluation. For properties with a rental value of more than £100,000, the maximum increase in 2017–18 will be 42 per cent.

1 April 2017

The Coasting Schools (England) Regulations 2017, S.I. No. 9

The Regulations define ‘coasting’ for the purposes of the Education and Adoption Act 2016, which empowers the Secretary of State to intervene in schools meeting that description. The definition is by reference to standard performance measures and is intended to identify schools that consistently fail to stretch their pupils. It applies to maintained school and academies at the primary and secondary levels.

11 January 2017

The Council Tax (Demand Notices) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2017, S.I. No. 13

The Regulations amend the form of council tax demand notice so as to include information about the adult social care precept which councils are entitled to charge in 2017–18.

10 February 2017

The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) (Amendment) Regulations 2016, S.I. No. 934

The Regulations impose a requirement on local authorities (including the Common Council acting in that capacity) to write to parents each year notifying them of schools with atypical ages of admission (such as university technical colleges) within reasonable travelling distance to which their children could apply.

14 February 2017

The Non-Domestic Rating (Demand Notices) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2017, S.I. No. 39

The Regulations remove the ability for billing authorities (including the Common Council acting in that capacity) to issue business rate demand notices covering more than one financial year, require the accompanying explanatory notes to be provided online rather than in paper form, and update the content of the explanatory notes to reflect changes to the rating system.

20 February 2017

The School and Early Years Finance (England) Regulations 2017, S.I. No. 44

The Regulations specify how local authorities (including the Common Council acting in that capacity) are to set education budgets and allocate education funding in 2017–18. They include provision intended to aid transition towards the new schools funded formula which the Government is committed to introduce in 2018–19.

1 April 2017

The Social Housing Rents (Exceptions and Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2017, S.I. No. 91

The Regulations extend, clarify and add to the exceptions to the four-year reduction in social rents required by the Housing and Planning Act 2016. The principal exceptions, such as domestic violence refuges and almshouses, will now apply throughout the four years.

1 April 2017

The Non-Domestic Rating (Reliefs, Thresholds and Amendment) (England) Order 2017, S.I. No. 102

The Regulations give effect to the reductions in smaller businesses’ rates bills announced in the 2016 Budget, including putting 100% small business rates relief on a permanent footing and raising rateable value thresholds. They also up-rate other thresholds, including that for empty property relief.

1 April 2017