15/07/10….Thame MP’s influence grows with new government

THAME MP, John Howell’s influence on policy making with the new coaltion govertment continues to grow. He has been asked to help steer fundamental reforms of the planning system through parliament.

The MP has been given the job after producing a blue-print for a reformed planning system before the election, called Open Source Planning. It is this document that will apparently underpin the reforms. The bill will be introduced in Parliament later in the year. See: http://tiny.cc/qgsk6

John will now join Greg Clark MP, the minister responsible for planning, as his parliamentary private secretary (PPS) on a temporary basis to help take the reforms forward. This appointment is in addition to John’s recently announced appointment as PPS to the Leader of the House, Sir George Young, which will continue. John already chairs the sounding board on planning reform set up by the Conservative Party before the election with the development industry.

John said: “The current planning system is bureuacratic and highly centralised. Many people feel that they have no say over development taking place in their areas and that their views are ignored. What is required is not a piecemeal tinkering with the system but radical reform that will decentralise and streamline the planning system. I am pleased to be helping to introduce these reforms.”

On July 6, the MP was also appointed a Vice-President of the Local Government Association (LGA) in recognition of his championing of local government.