Local campaign becomes national law!

3.00.00pm GMT Wed 21st Nov 2007

Local MP Tim Farron today attended a parliamentary ceremony to mark the passing into law of the Sustainable Communities Act. The Act, which was supported enthusiastically by the Tim Farron throughout its passage, was given Royal Assent recently.

There was a strong local campaign in South Lakeland in favour of the Bill which involved thousands of local people, several hundred of whom joined Tim last year at a public meeting at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal to support the launch of the Bill.

The Sustainable Communities Act seeks to give power back to communities to make decisions on local issues, and will hopefully lead to vital local services such as post offices, schools and hospitals remaining in place. To this end, Mr Farron has tabled a parliamentary motion requesting that post office closures are suspended until the powers of the Sustainable Communities Act are fully in place.

Tim Farron said:

"It is very satisfying to see the fruits of this campaign, which the many of us worked very hard on, coming into law. Hopefully this will see some of the powers normally reserved for central government devolved to local people.

"Local people have a right to make decisions about services that affect them and this Act should see this happening more often."