This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Lady directly.
(2) what assessment she has made of the use of well-being powers of the Local Government Act 2000.
The Local Government Act 2000 gave local authorities the power to do anything which they consider is likely to achieve the ‘promotion or improvement’ of ‘one or more’ of the economic, social or environmental well-being of their area. The only limitations on this power are that local authorities are nor enabled through the Act to raise additional funding, or undertake an action that is specifically prohibited elsewhere in law.
The Act did not attempt to set out a definition of ‘quality of life’. Instead it required every local authority (in consultation with others) to draw up a strategy setting out how they intend to promote the economic, social and environmental well-being of their particular area over the long term.
The Government carried out an independent evaluation of the take-up and usage of the well-being power. The results are contained in “Formative Evaluation of the take-up and implementation of the well-being power” which can be found on the CLG website.