To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, whether additional (a) support and (b) intervention will be required before the creation of the new South West Essex unitary authority in...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, whether additional (a) support and (b) intervention will be required before the creation of the new South West Essex unitary authority in...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, on what date his Department first received information that contributed to the decision to issue the Notice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, on what date his Department first received information that contributed to the decision to issue the Notice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, from which (a) organisations, (b) councillors and (c) other individuals his Department received information that informed the decision to issue the Notice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, from which (a) organisations, (b) councillors and (c) other individuals his Department received information that informed the decision to issue the Notice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, which Ministers and officials were involved in the decision to issue the Notice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, which Ministers and officials were involved in the decision to issue the Notice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the external assurance review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the external assurance review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what opportunities were provided to Basildon Borough Council to respond to his Department's concerns before the Notice was issued.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what opportunities were provided to Basildon Borough Council to respond to his Department's concerns before the Notice was issued.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, whether concerns relating to the Council's preparedness for local government reorganisation influenced the decision to issue the Notice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, whether concerns relating to the Council's preparedness for local government reorganisation influenced the decision to issue the Notice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, whether his Department received representations from elected members of Basildon Borough Council prior to issuing the Notice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, whether his Department received representations from elected members of Basildon Borough Council prior to issuing the Notice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, whether his Department holds a timeline of the events that led to the issue of the Notice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, whether his Department holds a timeline of the events that led to the issue of the Notice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what discussions took place between his Department and (a) the Local Government Association, (b) Basildon Council and (c) other public bodies before...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what discussions took place between his Department and (a) the Local Government Association, (b) Basildon Council and (c) other public bodies before...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what specific evidence led Ministers to conclude that a Best Value Notice was required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what specific evidence led Ministers to conclude that a Best Value Notice was required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, whether the external assurance review will examine procurement and contract management practices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, whether the external assurance review will examine procurement and contract management practices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what criteria will be used to determine whether the Council has demonstrated sufficient improvement after 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what criteria will be used to determine whether the Council has demonstrated sufficient improvement after 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, when the external assurance review is expected to commence and when its findings will be published.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, when the external assurance review is expected to commence and when its findings will be published.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, whether the findings of the external assurance review will be published in full.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, whether the findings of the external assurance review will be published in full.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what discussions his Department have had with the Local Government Association on the support being provided to Basildon Borough Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what discussions his Department have had with the Local Government Association on the support being provided to Basildon Borough Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Council's progress in addressing concerns raised by the Regulator of Social Housing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Council's progress in addressing concerns raised by the Regulator of Social Housing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the issues identified in the Notice on the transition to the new...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Best Value Notice issued to Basildon Borough Council on 15 July 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the issues identified in the Notice on the transition to the new...

This Government is committed to taking the action necessary to fix the foundations of local government. Today, I am updating the House on the Government’s action to update the Best Value guidance, to set clear expectations of the standards local authorities need to meet for their residents. I am also...

This Government is committed to taking the action necessary to fix the foundations of local government. Today, I am updating the House on the Government’s action to update the Best Value guidance, to set clear expectations of the standards local authorities need to meet for their residents. I am also...

My Honourable Friend the Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness (Alison McGovern MP) has today made the following statement:

This Government is committed to taking the action necessary to fix the foundations of local government. Today, I am updating the House on the Government’s action to update the Best...

My Honourable Friend the Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness (Alison McGovern MP) has today made the following statement:

This Government is committed to taking the action necessary to fix the foundations of local government. Today, I am updating the House on the Government’s action to update the Best...