Dear Colleague,
Welcome to the first of our new regular bulletin providing you with the latest information, support and resources on devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR).
Following the publication of the English Devolution White Paper, we and our member councils have been working at pace to digest the proposals and their respective opportunities and risks.
Our position
The LGA’s position is clear: we want every council in England to have the ability to secure devolution that works for them, their local economies, and their residents. The devolution of powers and resources can play a huge role in promoting inclusive economic growth, creating jobs, and improving public services. In a very centralised country, moving funding and power from Whitehall to local leaders is needed.
It is important that the LGA continues to fully understand and represent the views of all our members. We recognise that our members are – and always have been – open to change and remain clear that local government reorganisation should be a matter for councils and local areas to decide. The diverging views across the sector underline and reinforce this position. The LGA is here to support all our members throughout this process and beyond.
Member engagement
We are committed to continuing engagement with members across the country, as well as with our special interest groups (SIGs). We’ll continue to work closely with key representative bodies across the sector, including County Councils Network (CCN), District Councils Network (DCN), and SIGs to hear members' views, discuss their councils' needs, and highlight the LGA's efforts. On Wednesday 22 January LGA Chair Cllr Louise Gittins attended a webinar hosted by the DCN on the English Devolution White Paper and participated in a question and answer session.
We are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) to embed learning from the sector and to shape the programme of support that is needed. We will be working with key partners over the coming weeks to develop a coordinated support offer for the sector.
The LGA continues to lobby for the necessary funding to be able to provide that support at pace and scale. Our Chair, alongside lead members of our Improvement and Innovation Board, have this week written to MHCLG on the matter of funding. Areas fast-tracked along this process will need extra government funding and support to have the capacity to deliver and so their ability to provide existing services is not negatively affected.
As you may be aware, the LGA has set up a cross-party Task and Finish Group, comprising elected members from across the political spectrum and tiers of local government, to develop the LGA’s rapidly evolving policy position and inform our ongoing work across government. We will also use our existing board structures to review thematic policy announcements in the white paper (e.g. announcements on housing will be reviewed by the Local Infrastructure and Net Zero Board). You can read more about our board structures on our website.
This activity will also help inform the LGA’s response to the English Devolution Bill when introduced to Parliament. We will work with parliamentarians to ensure we get the best possible legislative outcomes on behalf of our members and maximise the potential benefits of devolution.
On Monday last week, we invited all chief executives, in areas where an expression of interest has been submitted to be part of the Devolution Priority Programme, to a webinar to understand the support they would find useful from the LGA and the work we should prioritise on their behalf when meeting with MHCLG. We’ll continue to seek clarity from Government on policy and process issues raised by the white paper to help councils understand the specific implications for their place and to be able to respond appropriately.
LGA Devolution and LGR Hub
The LGA’s Devolution and LGR Hub will be your single point of contact for keeping up to date with developments. We will also use this bulletin and our other communications channels to highlight upcoming events – for politicians and officers alike – designed to ensure members are kept informed of the latest updates, as well as resources and support available from the LGA.
Our support
Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation Hub
Our Devolution and LGR Hub provides the latest information, resources, and support available to council staff and officers.
We’ll continue to add to the hub in the coming days and weeks, including the FAQs, so do keep checking back for future updates.
If you have a question for the FAQs that has yet to be included, or you need further clarification, please email localism@local.gov.uk.
News from Government
Urgent question
On Wednesday 15 January, David Simmonds MP asked an urgent question of the Government concerning Local Government Reorganisation.
The Minister for Local Government, Jim McMahon MP, responded by outlining how “the English Devolution White Paper sets out how this Government plan to deliver on our manifesto pledge to transfer power out of Westminster through devolution and to fix the foundations of local government”.
The Minister also revealed that the department has published “a list of all county and unitary councils” that responded to the Government’s letter on 16 December 2024 that asked areas to set out plans for a joint programme of devolution, coupled with local government reorganisation, as well as those that wish to delay elections from 2025 to 2026.
Various members from across the House raised support for the programme, while also sharing concerns around capacity, debt, cost, identity/geography, timeframes, and the impact on local democracy.
The LGA was specifically mentioned in the Minister’s response to Lewis Cocking MP’s question regarding the size of new authorities. The Minister raised that “in every conversation we had with the LGA, the CCN, the DCN and others, we heard that the worst outcome would be the white paper speaking to an issue without going close to clarifying what outcome we want”.
Get involved
Misreporting
We’re aware that misreporting around devolution and local government reorganisation has been confusing for some communities and skewing the local debate in the weeks since the English Devolution White Paper was published. To help challenge this, we're producing an explainer factsheet for national, regional and local media to ensure more accurate reporting. We'd be grateful to receive examples of the types of misinformation you have seen reported locally in your areas. You can email them to us at: media.office@local.gov.uk
Share our social media
We will be posting regular updates, information, support and resources on devolution and LGR on our social media channels, so please do follow us and share relevant updates.
Sign up to the devolution bulletin
If you have been forwarded this email, please consider signing up <link> for regular updates.
Events
We are seeking to host more events on devolution and local government re-organisation. These are to be confirmed.
For wider LGA support, please contact your regional principal adviser.
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