PLANS SET OUT FOR CHANGES TO RATE RELIEF ON EMPTY BUSINESS PROPERTIES

The Government has set out plans for new legislation designed to encourage empty shops, offices, factory and warehouse buildings back into commercial use. It is part of a package of measures aiming to create thriving urban centres by renovating empty buildings and promoting wider use of brownfield sites.

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COUNCILS URGED TO BE READY FOR INCREASE IN CIGARETTE LITTER

With television advertisements being launched today to increase awareness of the legislation banning smoking in public places there is renewed focus on the problems local authorities will face in dealing with cigarette litter and on steps councils are already putting in place to deal with it.

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This paper from Communities and Local Government focuses on how community strategies are being developed in two-tier authorities and how they link in with the regional agenda.The lack of clear guidance from central government on two-tier working community strategies has emerged as a key theme within the evaluation. The result is a wide variation in the format, approach, context and content and some strategies are not fit for purpose. The lack of guidance has also resulted in county level community planning trailing planning in unitary and district councils.

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