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Local Transport Bill [HL]

I shall also speak to the Question whether Clause 71 should stand part of the Bill. The clauses will allow the Secretary of State to direct a review of respectively non-ITA and existing ITA areas. I will give reasons why we object to both clauses. The ostensible principle of this section of the Bill is to allow authorities to review their governance arrangements in a bottom-up manner. I am therefore uncertain as to why these clauses are needed. Local authorities need to initiate a review themselves to be fully committed to implementing the results that they find. Any imposition will not work and will serve to undermine local authorities, which need to be partners in the recognition and implementation of change. That is especially important in the formation of ITAs, if the formation of ITAs allows the implementation of road charging without the constituent local authority’s consent, through changes to the consultation arrangements or delegation of local authority functions or by conferral of a power to direct an authority. The formation of an ITA through an imposed review should not be used as a mechanism of introducing road charging without local democratic accountability.