EU Transport Policy, Single Use Plastic Directive and Environment Policy Newsletter European Parliament Kicks off again! The European Parliament Committees were back in action this week to begin their policy work. With the membership and makeup of the committees all decided during the first Strasbourg session, this week gave us our first glimpse of how the new Environment (ENVI) and Transport (TRAN) Committees are likely to operate going forward. Needless to say, neither committee disappointed and we are set for loud, proud, and ambitious ENVI and TRAN committees over the next two years. Expect sweeping changes to EU Commission proposals […]

The new Prime Minister has had a radical clear out of ministers following his appointment yesterday. Of interest to the development industry will be the new MHCLG Secretary of State and another new Housing and Planning Minister. Robert Jenrick – Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick is the youngest member in Mr Johnson’s new cabinet, and the most recent arrival in Westminster. The appointment as the MHCLG Secretary of State is a big promotion for the former lawyer who was first elected in 2014 in the Newark byelection, following the resignation of Patrick Mercer MP due to the […]

Our affiliate company, Chelgate Public Affairs has today published briefing papers on two sectors that are likely to receive significant attention from the European Commission over the next year. These cover the effect of BREXIT on Private Aviation companies and the impact on water companies by the introduction of Water Saving Labelling. Private Aviation Companies – BREXIT Introduction Aviation companies are by their very nature international. Their business models are predicated on crossing borders and they need to be able to do so flexibly and swiftly. These issues are even more acute for private aviation operators, based in the UK, […]

This month: All change at Basildon Council … again, Stansted growth and Uttlesford’s local plan, London sales and lettings, and Unlocking Growth in Oxford and Oxfordshire   All change at Basildon Council … again By Michael Hardware, Director of Planning and Property The politics of Basildon Council never provides a dull moment: for the fourth time, in as many years, the administration has changed hands again. The May local elections saw the council move into ‘no overall control’ with the Conservatives losing two seats and its slim majority. The opposition groups have joined in an alliance to form an administration, […]

This month: May Local Elections, New councillors, Hertfordshire Growth Plans and Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor May Local Elections By Michael Hardware, Director of Planning and Property The dust is settling following the dramatic May local elections in which the two main parties saw very significant losses. Ordinarily, the party in power would be expected to lose members mid-term and for the opposition to pick them up, but that did not happen. Both parties lost seats to the benefit of the LibDems, independent and resident groups. Although many are seeing this as a protest vote rather than a trend, caused by the […]