Radical Changes in Housing and Planning Will Drive Local Growth
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has welcomed measures to improve the planning system, action to get the house building industry building again and steps to cut the amount of red tape for councils and businesses set out in the Budget. The Department for Communities and Local Government has said it is at the centre of the Coalition’s plans to revive and rebalance the economy, and over the coming months the Communities Secretary will oversee a programme of work to unblock the planning system, boost house building and attract new investment into the market, and maintain environmental and countryside protections. The reforms are designed to put local councils, communities and local firms in the lead when it comes to delivering growth. More.

Reforming Britain’s Health and Safety Regime to Put Common Sense Back
Health and safety regulation will focus on high hazard sites and tackling rogue employers and consultants, not tying up the vast majority of Britain’s businesses in unnecessary red tape and regulations.  A package of changes to Britain’s health and safety system, announced by Employment Minister Chris Grayling, is designed to support the Government’s growth agenda and to ease the regulatory burdens on business. More.

New Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register Launches
The Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR) launched this week. The new independent online directory is designed to help businesses find a suitable and well qualified consultant. Many employers do not need external consultants to help them comply with their legal obligations. However for those that do, the OSHCR is designed to help. OSHCR has been established by a number of professional bodies representing general safety and occupational health consultants, with support from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It follows publication of the Government-commissioned report Common Sense Common Safety, which called for improved competence in health and safety advice. The register is now freely accessible and searchable at www.oshcr.org.
MPs Urge Change to Localism Bill to Spell Out Strategic Cooperation
Members of a parliamentary committee have urged the Government to modify the Localism Bill to include a new obligation on local planning authorities to work on an agreed approach to larger-than-local planning across neighbouring authorities. More. The full report from the Communities and Local Government Select Committee on the abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies is available online.