Julia Goldsworthy Welcomes publication of Sustainable Communities Bill

4.46.09pm GMT Tue 19th Dec 2006

Falmouth and Camborne MP Julia Goldsworthy has welcomed the publication of the Sustainable Communities Bill which will now be debated in the House of Commons on 19th January 2007.

The Sustainable Communities Bill would empower local communities by adopting a bottom-up decision making process, whereby local people will have a greater say on decisions that affect their town or village.

Ms Goldsworthy introduced the Bill to Parliament as a Presentation Bill in the last session. A Parliamentary motion tabled by Ms Goldsworthy and calling on the Government to support the Bill, received support from over half the number of MPs in the House of Commons, including every Liberal Democrat.

The Bill is now being taken forward in this Parliamentary session, by Nick Hurd MP who was successful in the Private Members Bill Ballot, with Ms Goldsworthy as a co-sponsor.

Commenting, Julia Goldsworthy MP said:

"I am delighted that the Sustainable Communities Bill will now receive a second reading in Parliament and will be debated on the floor of the House of Commons.

"The Sustainable Communities Bill is particularly well suited to Cornwall, where, because of our distance from London, our needs are often overlooked by civil servants in Whitehall. The recent announcement that thousands of post offices will close is a typical example of the way in which the current Government is failing to promote sustainable communities.

"Under the Sustainable Communities Bill, the Government would be obliged to consult with and act upon the needs and wishes of local people."