From: Steve Shaw [mailto:steve.shaw@unlockdemocracy.org.uk]
Subject: Please help urgently: Empowering Local Councils and the Sustainable Communities Act Amendment Bill

Dear

Please help urgently: Empowering Parish and Town Councils by getting the Sustainable Communities Act Amendment Bill adopted in Parliament

The initial take up of the Sustainable Communities Act has been fantastic. 100 Local Authority areas have submitted a total of 300 proposals for government action to promote and protect local sustainability. However Parish and Town Councils are not formally part of this exciting new process and, furthermore, this process is in danger of being a one-off event - it must be ongoing.

Together with the National Association of Local Councils and the Society of Local Councils Clerks, we are campaigning for the Sustainable Communities Act Amendment Bill to be made law. This will ensure that Parish and Town Councils are included in the process but will also give Local Council County Associations the power to put forward proposals for government action directly. The Bill will also ensure that the Act’s process is ongoing and not a one-off event.

Parliament held a ballot this morning to select which MPs will be given a chance to introduce a piece of legislation (i.e. a Bill) which has a chance of becoming law. Because of the upcoming election, only the top seven have a realistic chance of changing the law. It is crucial that we persuade one of these lucky MPs to adopt the Sustainable Communities Act Amendment Bill.

URGENT ACTION:

Your help will be crucial in successfully seeing one of these MPs to take up our Bill, so please do the following:

1. Please write to, or email, at least one of these MPs, but preferably all seven, and ask them to ‘Please adopt the Sustainable Communities Act Amendment Bill’. This will only take a few minutes and I have included a sample letter for you to personalise below.

2. Please ask members of your Parish Council and others you know to do the same and please forward this email on to anyone who may help - the more letters and emails these MPs receive the better!

Thank you in advance for your support and efforts.

Yours sincerely,

Steve Shaw

National Co-ordinator

Local Works

Note: for more information on the Sustainable Communities Act and the Sustainable Communities Act Amendment Bill see our website: www.localworks.org

The seven MPs who came top of the ballot, and their addresses and emails are:

1. Brian Iddon (Labour, Bolton South East): iddonb@parliament.uk

address: Brian Iddon MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA

2. David Chaytor (Labour, Bury North): chaytord@parliament.uk

address: David Chaytor MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA

3. Andrew Gwynne (Labour, Denton and Reddish): gwynnea@parliament.uk

address: Andrew Gwynne MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA

4. Albert Owen (Labour, Ynys Môn): owena@parliament.uk

address: Albert Owen MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA

5. Julie Morgan (Labour, Cardiff North): morganj@parliament.uk

address: Julia Morgan MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA

6. Anthony Steen (Conservative, Totnes): steena@parliament.uk

address: Anthony Steen MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA

7. Alistair Burt (Conservative, North East Bedfordshire): burta@parliament.uk

address: Alistair Burt MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA

DRAFT LETTER TO THE SEVEN MPS

Dear [MP’s NAME]

Congratulations on your success in the Private Members’ Ballot. I am writing to ask you to please adopt the Sustainable Communities Act Amendment Bill.

The Bill is crucial as it will ensure the involvement process in the Sustainable Communities Act includes Parish and Town Councils and also that it is ongoing and not just a one off event. Thousands of people and hundreds of councils across the country want to use the Act but currently can not. This Bill will ensure they can.

I am not one of your constituents but understand what a rare opportunity you have been granted via the Ballot. This Bill already has backing from MPs of all parties, and from the huge Local Works coalition of national organisations, that successfully campaigned for the original Act to become law.

I do hope very much you will take up this Bill.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

[YOUR ADDRESS]