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London's Skills Challenge

released 22 May 2013

Following the government's response to the Heseltine Review and the growing debate around skills devolution, London Councils launched a new report 'London's Skills Challenge' on 14 May 2013. The report argues that the current skills system is failing to address the scale of London's skills challenge, and that structural changes are needed to maximise outcomes for businesses and individuals, with boroughs having a crucial role to play. This briefing outlines the report's findings and recommendations.

Use Class order changes

released 20 May 2013

On 9 May, the government laid regulations enacting a number of changes to the planning regime. It puts into legislation previously announced policies relating to householder extensions, broadband infrastructure, planning for free schools, and temporary uses for shops and industrial premises. It also set out the areas that had been exempted from the policy to allow buildings designated for business use to convert to housing without requiring planning permission. Of 17 English local authorities partly or wholly exempted from this policy, eleven are in London. This briefing summarises all of these changes and considers their impact on the capital.

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