Sara Hawthorn 10 July 2014

Pickles calls for statutory notices to be brought into 21st Century

Local government secretary Eric Pickles has compared municipal statutory notices to a famous scene from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and criticised the ‘sterile debate’ of the complete abolition of statutory notices.

He compared the current approach to that of the demolishing of Arthur Dent’s house, where the planning notice is displayed "in the basement; in a disused lavatory; without a light; in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet; with a sign on the door, saying: ‘Beware of the Leopard’.”

Speaking at the Local Government Association annual conference, Mr Pickles announced plans to involve the newspaper industry which could see paid digital advertising and location specific mobile technology. He defended the need for statutory notices as an important way of ensuring local residents were informed of decisions affecting their properties and lives.

Pickles said: 'Both the private and public sector need to embrace the technology and the internet and changing public demand, otherwise they will fall by the wayside. That’s why local government is now at the forefront of the open data agenda with the new local government Transparency Code.

'We are opening up council meetings to new rights to film, tweet and blog - in a digital age, we cannot cling to analogue interpretations of rules on public access. Statutory notices also need to change.

'To take this forward, I want to bring councils and the newspaper industry together to work together on some pilots to show the case for innovation. Newspapers need to embrace new technology to survive. But they should not face unfair competition from council newspapers. And 21st century independent media offer councils the chance to reach out, inform and engage - an alternative to the depths of obscurity in a council website or lavatory without a light.'

Banning urban pesticide use image

Banning urban pesticide use

RSPB and PAN are working on a letter from local councillors calling on the Government to introduce a national ban on urban pesticide use. Find out more below.
SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Head of Planning and Coastal Management

East Suffolk Council
£87,358 - £99,018 per annum, plus benefits
Following a restructure which has placed the current postholder in a critically important role East Suffolk
Recuriter: East Suffolk Council

Deputyship Caseworker

Essex County Council
£23344 - £26620 per annum
Deputyship CaseworkerPermanent, Full TimeUp to £24,309 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Engineer

Bristol City Council
£40,221 - £51,515
As part of a friendly and enthusiastic team, you will play an important role in designing innovative urban transport and public realm projects 100 Temple Street Redcliff Bristol BS1 6AN
Recuriter: Bristol City Council

Intelligence Manager - Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Essex County Council
Up to £69262 per annum
Intelligence Manager - Quantitative and Qualitative ResearchFixed Term, Full Timeup to £69,262 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Research Strategy and Governance Manager

Essex County Council
Up to £70364 per annum
Research Strategy and Governance ManagerFixed Term, Full Timeup to £70,364 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council
Linkedin Banner

Partner Content

Circular highways is a necessity not an aspiration – and it’s within our grasp

Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen.

Support from Effective Energy Group for Local Authorities to Deliver £430m Sustainable Warmth Funded Energy Efficiency Projects

Effective Energy Group is now offering its support to the 40 Local Authorities who have received a share of the £430m to deliver their projects on the ground by surveying properties and installing measures.

Pay.UK – the next step in Bacs’ evolution

Dougie Belmore explains how one of the main interfaces between you and Bacs is about to change.