Chamber and committees

(a) The Local Government in Scotland Bill proposes a statutory basis for community planning and in so doing will give local authorities a duty to initiate and facilitate"the process. Associated guidance to the bill is being developed in consultation with the Community Planning Task Force and this will provide a framework for implementing community planning, to which local authorities shall have regard. The Local Government in Scotland Bill also proposes to give local authorities a power to advance well-being, effectively a power of first resort, which should enable them to work in a more innovative and creative way in responding to the needs of their communities.(b) The formal consultation on community budgeting was completed at the end of June 2002. The Executive is currently considering these responses and the best way forward for community budgeting to proceed.

(a) There is now a Community Planning Partnership in each local authority area in Scotland. Local authorities have played a significant role in the development of Community Planning Partnerships in their areas.The Local Government in Scotland Bill currently being considered by Parliament, proposes a statutory underpinning for community planning and gives local authorities a duty to initiate and facilitate the community planning process in their areas.This will ensure that local authorities implement community planning on a more consistent and on-going basis. (b) The formal consultation on community budgeting was completed at the end of June 2002. The Executive is currently considering these responses and the best way forward for community budgeting to proceed.

(a) The Local Government in Scotland Bill as introduced, identifies local authorities as facilitators of the community planning process. As such, it places a requirement on local authorities to produce a report on what has been done by way of community planning in their areas. The emphasis is on reporting to the community and stakeholders. In its Stage 1 report on the Local Government in Scotland Bill, the Local Government Committee has made recommendations in this area and we are currently considering the contents of the report. (b) The formal consultation on community budgeting was completed at the end of June 2002. The Executive is currently considering these responses and the best way forward for community budgeting to proceed.

The Scottish Executive and the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland review of the Excellence Fund reached the following main conclusions:There remains a need for the continuation of specific grant funding focused on driving change and targeted at priority initiatives. Where appropriate, funding should be mainstreamed within GAE.Any future fund should focus on the five National Priorities for Education.In return for increased local flexibility on the use of funds, there should be clear accountability for results.

The remit of the review of the Excellence Fund, agreed and carried out by the Scottish Executive and Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (on behalf of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) did not include a specific analysis of the Standards Fund.

From 1 April this year, the Standard in Schools Act (2000) placed a duty on local authorities to secure a free part-time pre-school education place for all three and four-year-olds whose parents want one. Section 35 of the act gives authorities express power to secure provision through suppliers other than themselves.Guidance offered by the Scottish Executive reminds local authorities of the need to take into account parents wishes when allocating pre-school education places.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29045. All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa

The value of the role played by the private and voluntary sectors in delivering pre-school education is widely recognised. The Executive remains committed to the concept of a mixed economy in the childcare sector, and offers guidance to local authorities on a regular basis. This guidance underlines the value of working with partners to meet the needs of children and their parents. A short-term working group is currently being convened to consider the commissioning of pre-school partners. The members of the group will include representatives from COSLA, Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, Highland Pre-school Service, Scottish Pre-school Play Association and the Scottish Independent Nurseries Association. The group will offer recommendations on appropriate guidance for local authorities to encourage consistency of commissioning practice across the country.

This is a matter for local authorities. In meeting the duty in respect of pre-school education local authorities may secure places either at their own hand or by commissioning partners in the private and voluntary sectors. In March 2001, Audit Scotland issued a report A good Start: commissioning pre-school education which offers guidance to authorities on obtaining good value for money when securing pre-school provision.

As farm dumps have hitherto been practically unregulated, there is limited information about them on which to base estimates of environmental risks or of the cost of regulation. The Scottish Executive published a consultation paper Safer Landfill on 29 August. This includes a draft Regulatory Impact Assessment on which it seeks comments: it is expected that consultation responses will provide more information on costs.The consultation paper has been sent to a range of representatives of the agricultural sector, including NFU Scotland, the Scottish Landowners Federation, the Crofters Commission, the Scottish Agricultural College and the Independent Farming Group. In preparing the paper we have been in close and regular contact with representatives of NFU Scotland. The paper states our intention to work with NFU Scotland and SEPA to consider ways in which the regulatory burden can be minimised. We are presently considering the membership and remit of a group to undertake this work.The consultation paper, Safer Landfill, is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 23948).