This report examines the opportunities and obstacles that the Localism Bill presents to developing Neighbourhoods for all ages.
In this report, we examine the development and progression of communities for all ages reflective of an ageing population, as well as other demographic changes.
We review the future of both the concept of ‘Lifetime Neighbourhoods’ as well as ‘Neighbourhoods for all ages’ more generally in the context of recent policy changes, including the Spending Review and the Localism Bill.
We also present the views of policy-makers, academics, the voluntary sector, and other interested parties, on Localism and Neighbourhoods for all ages.
This report outlines how the Localism Bill offers both opportunities and obstacles in developing homes and communities for the future. After presenting a number of arguments ILC-UK make several recommendations including:
1. Ensuring that the forthcoming National Planning Framework includes specific measures to plan for an ageing society
2. Ensuring that parts of the Localism Bill includes greater safeguards to protect the rights of older people to access a full range of services
3. Setting in place a set of minimum standards for the provision of accessible, relevant and timely information and advice to older people on changes to service provision and new developments
4. Expansion of the equalities impact assessment of the Spending Review and Localism Bill to examine the impact of changes on older people
5. Developing a transparent framework for evaluating the impact of the Localism Bill; currently it is not clear how the effects of the Bill will be assessed, particularly with the forthcoming closure of the Audit Commission