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

Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes – Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

The government has committed to upgrade as many private rented sector homes as possible to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C by 2030, where practical, cost-effective and affordable.

This consultation sets out a suite of policy proposals towards achieving this. These proposals aim to bring significant benefits to landlords, tenants and the environment including:

• reducing energy bills and increased comfort for tenants and supporting delivery of our statutory fuel poverty target of EPC C by 2030
• potential property value improvements for landlords
• delivering carbon emission savings over Carbon Budgets 4 and 5, making progress towards our net zero target

This consultation closes on 30 December 2020.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-the-energy-performance-of-privately-rented-homes

Managing pavement parking – Department for Transport

This consultation asks whether a change of existing pavement parking legislation should occur.

Government are proposing 3 options:

1. Improving the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process, under which local authorities can already prohibit pavement parking.
2. A legislative change to allow local authorities with civil parking enforcement powers to enforce against ‘unnecessary obstruction of the pavement’.
3. A legislative change to introduce a London-style pavement parking prohibition throughout England.

This consultation closes on 22 November 2020.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/managing-pavement-parking

Raising accessibility standards for new homes – Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government

This consultation considers how to raise accessibility standards, recognising the importance of suitable homes for older and disabled people.

In particular, it considers how the existing optional accessible and adaptable standard for homes and the wheelchair user standard are used and whether government should mandate a higher standard or reconsider the way the existing optional standards are used.

This consultation closes on 1 December 2020.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/raising-accessibility-standards-for-new-homes

Planning for the Future – Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government

Government states that: “The Planning for the future consultation proposes reforms of the planning system to streamline and modernise the planning process, bring a new focus to design and sustainability, improve the system of developer contributions to infrastructure, and ensure more land is available for development where it is needed.”

This consultation closes on 29 October 2020.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/planning-for-the-future

Waste management Plan for England –Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Government are seeking views on a revised draft Waste Management Plan for England (the Plan). Under the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 the Government is required to review the Plan every 6 years. The content of the Plan is determined by the requirements of Schedule 1 to the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011. The Plan provides an analysis of the current waste management situation in England. It is primarily about the quantity of waste there is in England and how that waste is managed. The Plan sets out a summary of current policies, not new policies or announcements. It reflects the policies included in the Government’s Resources and Waste Strategy, published in 2018.

This consultation closes on 15 October 2020.

https://consult.defra.gov.uk/waste-and-recycling/waste-management-plan-for-england/

Review of The Highway Code to improve road safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders – Department for Transport

This consultation is seeking views on proposed changes to The Highway Code to improve safety for vulnerable road users, particularly the groups of:

• cyclists
• pedestrians
• horse riders

The main alterations to the code being proposed are:

• introducing a hierarchy of road users which ensures that those road users who can do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat they may pose to others
• clarifying existing rules on pedestrian priority on pavements, to advise that drivers and riders should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross the road,
• providing guidance on cyclist priority at junctions to advise drivers to give priority to cyclists at junctions when travelling straight ahead
• establishing guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking cyclists and horse riders

This consultation closes on 27 October 2020.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-the-highway-code-to-improve-road-safety-for-cyclists-pedestrians-and-horse-riders