The Re-Organisation of Local Government and the Future of Winchester - Trust Annual Report 1973
With the foregoing in mind, we would like to take this opportunity of drawing the attention of everyone to the functions of new District Councils, as listed by the Department of the Environment. They are as follows.
| Housing | Provision |
| Management | |
| Slum Clearance | |
| House and area improvement | |
| Town Development Planning |
Local plans |
| Development control | |
| Advertising control | |
| Derelict land | |
| Country parks | |
| Conservation areas | |
| Building preservation notices | |
| Listed building control | |
| Tree preservation | |
| Acquisition and disposal of land for planning purposes, development or redevelopment | |
| Footpaths and Bridleways | Creation, diversion and extinguishment orders |
| Protection | |
| Transportation | Off-street parking |
| Parks and open spaces |
From this list it can be seen that the role of the new District Council involves a great deal more than processing planning applications, so there is the responsibility to see that a department is set up, responsive to the real needs of the area, to achieve a significant improvement in the environment. It is the quality of what we see around us which counts, and understanding what the right priorities are. For example, are the roads to be the servants of the people or the masters?
Architects will be ready to respond to our needs, but they can only do so if the District Council demands a quality of building which will enhance the area—because today's buildings are tomorrow's heritage. A very senior and experienced environmental officer will be required, who will tackle the multitude of problems imaginatively while caring deeply for the area.
The Preservation Trust considers that the following points are of vital importance and will always be ready to co-operate with the new District Council to achieve these aims.
- To understand the needs and aspirations of the people of the district.
- To maintain the balance of priorities always in favour of the quality of the environment.
- The preparation of a local Development Plan involving the co-ordination of all building, road, landscape and recreational development, and transportation.
- The preparation of detailed Action Area and Policy Plans.
- General development guidance and encouragement (rather than control) by interpreting the community's desire for development, whether by the authority itself or private developers.
- Identification, assessment and looking after the well being of buildings of architectural and historic importance.
- Conservation area survey, designation and surveillance.
- The conservation and continual enhancement of the total landscape quality of the area.
- To establish the aims and objectives of environmental management and services.
- To maintain high design standards and to give general design guidance to the authority on all environmental matters.
- To interpret the environmental needs of the district to the County Council and vice versa.
The Department of the Environment has issued a circular stating the Government's policy. Planning says the Minister should "take account of the growth of public opinion in favour of conserving the familiar scene".
As the environmental correspondent of the Times has pointed out, local government has suffered from the kind of compartmentalisation which in a given neighbourhood, handles drains through one department, housing through another, street cleaning through yet another, and planning applications through a fourth. Therefore an exercise such as an improvement area project, may make for needless complication. Committees looking at planning applications should view the whole planning needs of the area.
The final paragraph of the departmental circular quoted earlier, has something to say about local amenity societies. It sees them increasingly consulted and playing a positive role in influencing council policies rather than one merely of opposition. Certainly, as the Civic Trust recently pointed out, now is our big chance. With local government in ferment the element of continuity, represented by local societies, is something new councillors may well be glad to lean on.