A brief summary of current government consultations of potential interest to RSN members. This is not intended as an exhaustive list of all relevant consultations.

→ Download a printable version of the Government Consultationst here

Provisional local government finance settlement 2021 to 2022: consultation – Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government

This consultation seeks views on proposals for the local government finance settlement for 2021 to 2022. You can see an analysis of the impact of the proposed settlement on rural local authorities via this link.

This consultation closes on 16 January 2021.

Provisional local government finance settlement 2021 to 2022: consultation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Future of Transport: rural strategy: call for evidence – Department for Transport

This call for evidence seeks views and evidence from all those with an interest in rural transport.

Following the government’s Future of mobility: urban strategy, which was published in March 2019, the Department for Transport are now seeking views and evidence on what could be incorporated into a Future of Transport: rural strategy.

The consultation document has 3 sections:

• the context of the Future of Transport: rural strategy
• the government’s assessment of the mobility trends in rural areas, and the emerging opportunities for rural environments that are being witnessed in transport innovation – this section seeks views on whether government have identified these correctly and further evidence for these trends
• consideration of the approach that the government could take to help shape these opportunities to benefit rural areas

This consultation is part of the Future of Transport programme, which aims “to shape transport innovation and secure the UK’s position as a leader in the transport sector of the future.”

This consultation closes on 16 February 2021.

Future of Transport: rural strategy – call for evidence - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Domestic smoke and carbon monoxide alarms – Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government

This consultation seeks views on:

1. Amending the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 to require social landlords to ensure at least one smoke alarm is installed on each storey of the premises on which there is a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation.
2. Amending the statutory guidance (Approved Document J) supporting Part J of the Building Regulations to require that carbon monoxide alarms are fitted alongside the installation of fixed combustion appliances of any fuel type (excluding gas cookers).
3. Amending the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 to require private and social landlords to install a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation where a fixed combustion appliance is used (excluding gas cookers).

This consultation closes on 11 January 2021.

Domestic smoke and carbon monoxide alarms - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Local air quality management: public authorities call for evidence – Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Government are seeking views and evidence on which public authorities should be considered for designation by the Environment Secretary as ‘Relevant Public Authorities’. A relevant public authority may then be required to co-operate with local authorities acting as an ‘Air Quality Partner’ within the Local Air Quality Management Framework.

This is under a new power which we intend to introduce through the Environment Bill, amending Part IV of the Environment Act 1995.

In particular, they are looking to understand:

• the bodies’ contribution to local air pollution
• the actions the bodies could realistically take to reduce the contribution in a local context
• the resource implications for the body

Responses are welcomed from local authorities and potential relevant public authorities.

This consultation closes on 18 January 2021.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-air-quality-management-public-authorities-call-for-evidence

Toilet provision for men and women: call for evidence – Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government

This call for evidence launches a technical review of provision of toilets for men and women.

Women often have to face excessive queues for toilets or don’t have access to appropriate facilities that meet their needs when out. In some cases this can mean women are reluctant to go out or take trips that many take for granted.

Over recent years there has also been a trend towards replacing female only facilities with gender neutral toilets.

The review aims to address this by considering the ratio of female toilets needed versus the number for men, given the need for women to always use cubicles. It would also take into account the needs of all members of the community, to ensure there is a fair provision of accessible and gender-neutral toilets.

The review will also look at signage, which should be clearer and use gender-specific language, to avoid confusion.

This consultation closes on 29 January 2021.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/toilet-provision-for-men-and-women-call-for-evidence

Green Heat Network Fund: proposals for the scheme design – Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

Government are seeking views on how they should design the proposed Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) scheme. The GHNF is a capital grant funding programme which is intended to help new and existing heat networks to move to low and zero carbon technologies. Its objectives are to:

• achieve carbon savings and decreases in carbon intensity of heat supplied
• increase the total amount of low-carbon heat utilisation in heat networks (both retrofitted and new heat networks)
• help prepare the market for future low-carbon regulation and ensure compliance with existing regulations (such as the Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations, Heat Network Market Framework and the Future Homes Standard)

This consultation closes on 29 January 2021.

Green Heat Network Fund: proposals for the scheme design - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Supporting housing delivery and public service infrastructure – Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government

This technical consultation seeks views on proposals for:

• a new permitted development right for a change of use to residential to create new homes
• measures to provide public service infrastructure more quickly through expanded permitted development rights and a new streamlined planning application process for hospitals, schools and prisons
• the approach to simplifying and consolidating existing permitted development rights following changes to the Use Classes Order

This consultation closes on 28 January 2021.

Supporting housing delivery and public service infrastructure - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)