Right to Build initiative, rural U.K. variation of FL's upcoming Amendment 4, is proof that David Cameron's "The Big Society" works - direct democracy

I listened to this lively discussion on 5 live Friday morning of a rural variation in the U.K. of Florida's upcoming Amendment 4, Florida Hometown Democracy, that gives a measure of direct democracy to residents and take it from the government and creates a scenario for more affordable housing if that's the will of the people.

The Right to Build initiative is a direct result of David Cameron's Big Society campaign promise to deal with some longstanding problems in rural villages and hamlets, including high-priced housing as a result of second-home owners and brain drain.

Taking power from the elites and parish council bureaucrats means that some people can finally move back to their hometowns and have the quality of life they want once their children have grown-up and moved away.

Under the Cameron government's initiative, townspeople will be able to actually vote on whether or not something gets built without the thumbs-up of planning bureaucrats, which means that both NIMBYISM and heavy-handed bureaucrats don't strangle rural areas and force people to have to work far away because elites like having a quaint little village with nothing to do but be inundated by tourists on weekends.

BBC live 5 host Shelagh Fogarty talks to listeners across the U.K. -Shropshire, Watford, et al- about the pros and cons of the innovative idea that clearly shows that Prime Minister David Cameron has every intention of doing exactly what he said about eliminating the stranglehold of government over people's lives and dreams, which is one of the reasons he won. Elections have consequences.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/5live/connect/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10735506

http://floridahometowndemocracyamendment.blogspot.com/


See also:

The Telegraph
People in rural villages to be allowed to build on green belt without planning permission
People living in rural communities will be able to give themselves the right to build on local green belt land without planning permission, under plans to be unveiled today.

By Christopher Hope, Whitehall Editor
Published: 7:00AM BST 23 Jul 2010

Grant Shapps, the Housing Minister, wants to breath life into remote villages by making it easier to win permission to build more homes and shops.

The Community Right to Build programme will allow people to build any type of property on Green Belt land, if enough locals are in favour.

Currently, planning permission to build on green belt is only granted in exceptional circumstances for affordable homes.

Local people will be able to grant themselves planning permission, avoid the need to ask the council for the green light, if a large majority vote in favour in a special local referendum.

Read the rest of the article at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/7905033/People-in-rural-villages-to-be-allowed-to-build-on-green-belt-without-planning-permission.html

Predicate article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/5114542/Rural-communities-to-be-given-new-powers-to-approve-local-housing-developments-under-Conservative-plans.html


As you can see here, I wasn't the only person listening to Grant Shapps, since some defenders of the old status quo, like The British Urban Regeneration Association, are already throwing spitballs and saying it favors "the rich."
Right, because human nature and experience tells us that the "rich" and "affordable housing" usually go into the same sentence, and, somehow, suddenly, small British villages will want to do whatever helps the well-heeled. LOL!
Oh, dear, I think this public policy wonk needs a dose of reality!

Is Grant Shapps' "Right to Build" a step too far for localism?
By Jackie Sadek on July 23, 2010 9:17 AM
http://www.estatesgazette.com/blogs/jackie-sadek/2010/07/is-grant-shapps-right-to-build-a-step-too-far-for-localism.html

As you can see on BURA's website, the word "people" and "residents" and "citizens" never appears on the main page: http://www.bura.org.uk/
Hmm-m-m...


See my previous post on David Cameron:
David is STILL a great name for a British Prime Minister. Make it a reality today.
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/david-is-still-great-name-for-british.html

David Cameron: The Big Society

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2uVYgAuO_c

David Cameron backs parents to set up new schools

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwywQTJZDZk




The Conservative Manifesto 2010:
http://media.conservatives.s3.amazonaws.com/manifesto/cpmanifesto2010_lowres.pdf