Dr Neil Hudson, Member of Parliament for Penrith and The Border, supported Government legislation to empower communities in Penrith and The Border, and ensure that Cumbrian communities can embrace the transformative benefits of the Levelling Up agenda.
On Tuesday 13th November, Dr Neil Hudson supported the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, the Government’s landmark legislation to give communities power in a range of areas of the Levelling Up agenda, including housing and planning, environmental protections, the provision of local services and local democracy, at its Third Reading.
Particularly welcomed was the Conservative Government action on holiday lets, with an amendment to the Bill made by the Secretary of State for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, making provision for registration of short-term holiday lets.
This concrete legislative step follows the Government’s announcement in June that it would conduct a review into the impact of short-term holiday lets on tourist hotspots such as those in Cumbria, following a sharp increase in the use of rental property websites.
Dr Hudson has long called for the Government to act on the impact of holiday lets on residents in tourist hotspots such as those in Cumbria, raising this repeatedly in the House of Commons and in meetings with Ministers.
Moreover, Dr Hudson was pleased that during the debate at Third Reading, the Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Lucy Frazer, agreed to consulting on whether the law should require water companies to be consultees in new planning applications. This is a measure that has been called for by the Conservative Environment Network, of which Dr Hudson is a member, and would ensure communities are equipped with the crucial infrastructure they need to reduce water pollution from the use of storm overflows.
Since his election to Parliament, Dr Hudson has fought to ensure that rural communities are not forgotten by the Levelling Up agenda, urging the Government to move away from London-centric ideas that do not account for the unique needs of rural communities. Dr Hudson spoke passionately about this at a debate in the House of Commons on Levelling Up Rural Britain in November, which can be read in full at the following link: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2022-11-09/debates/BFA9777D-6DAB-4B1E-BF07-48D0E66BA064/LevellingUpRuralBritain?highlight=levelling%20up%20rural%20britain#
Dr Hudson had previously spoken about the need to empower Cumbrian rural communities at an adjournment debate he had secured on the topic back in February, entitled Levelling Up Rural Cumbria.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, commented:
“At the heart of Penrith and The Border, and Cumbria, we have vibrant and wonderful communities. I passionately believe that these communities must be at the heart of the Levelling Up agenda. That is why I am so pleased that the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill has passed its Third Reading.”
“The Levelling Up agenda covers so many core issues that impact the daily lives of those across Cumbria, from the ability to afford and access the homes they work so hard for, to the democratic representation that empowers communities to address concerns according to their specific needs.”
“I am grateful that the Government has listened to me, and the issues I have raised in the Chamber and in discussions with ministers, including mitigating the impact of short-term holiday lets and consulting on plans that could reduce water pollution from storm overflows.”
“However, I know that there is still so much progress to be made, to ensure that the Levelling Up agenda unlocks the full potential of rural communities and addresses their needs. I promise that I will continue to fight for our communities in Penrith and The Border, so that they can embrace the full potential of the Levelling Up agenda that I am proud to support.”
