On November 10, the government announced the final allocations of the first round of £10 million funding of the housing and planning delivery grant for 2008- 9. The HPDG incentivises local authorities to improve their delivery of housing and planning, and provides additional support to those local councils who are “doing their bit” to deliver new homes. HBF’s head of planning Andrew Whitaker commented upon an issue that has arisen with the HPDG in light of the housing downturn: “The government have handed out money, rewarding local authorities that have delivered development plans and housing supply. But it’s been coming under pressure to change the criteria under which local authorities are assessed.<br><br>“Some local authorities have said that housing supply is to do with housebuilders and they can’t control what housebuilders do. HBF and CLG have been contesting this view and we’ve said that local authorities need to talk to developers about continuing to have a five-year housing supply. “ Whitaker also pointed out that if a local authority does not have housing plans, then they do not need a HPDG. “But this is part of a bigger picture,” Whitaker continued. “Local authorities are dropping receipts from planning application fees. Growth …