Devolution | LocalGov

UNISON: Reorganisation must not be ‘cover for job cuts’

20/03/2025

The abolition of district councils as part of local government reorganisation puts thousands of frontline jobs at risk, says UNISON.

One unitary in Worcestershire could save £20m a year

20/03/2025

Replacing Worcestershire's seven councils with a single unitary authority could save more than £20m a year, according to a new report.

Warwickshire councils signal preference for two unitaries

19/03/2025

There is a ‘clear preference’ for a north and south unitary option among district and borough councils in Warwickshire, says district council leader.

Notts leader backs ‘city + 2’ reorganisation model

18/03/2025

The leader of Nottingham City Council has backed proposals that would see the authority merge with two other councils.

Exeter reorganisation could see city expand to over 300,000

18/03/2025

Exeter could dramatically expand from a population of 130,000 to over 300,000 under the city council’s local government reorganisation proposals.

East Midlands mayor suggests LGA not the right 'fit'

17/03/2025

East Midlands mayor Claire Ward has said the Local Government Association ‘might not be' the place where combined and strategic authorities ‘fit'.

Hampshire hits reorganisation deadlock

14/03/2025

No decision will be made on the number of unitaries that will cover Hampshire and the Solent ahead of the deadline for interim reorganisation plans.

Minister: 500,000 figure for unitaries an 'average'

13/03/2025

Jim McMahon has said a population size of 500,000 could end up as the ‘average' when unitary government is completed across the country.

Frustrated mayors delay campaign on fiscal devo

13/03/2025

Labour mayors frustrated by the lack of fiscal devolution are holding back from stepping up their lobbying, The MJ understands.

DCN: Government’s reorganisation plans risk ‘dysfunctionality’

13/03/2025

Local government reorganisation could ‘create larger versions of dysfunctionality’ and fail to bring about the public service reform required, report claims.

Suffolk councils oppose unitary plans

12/03/2025

Suffolk’s district and borough council leaders have joined forces to oppose plans published by Suffolk County Council for a single unitary authority.

Two unitary plan for Lincolnshire

12/03/2025

Plans to merge Lincolnshire's 10 councils into two unitary authorities have been published.

Plan calls for Isle of Wight to retain own council in reorganisation

11/03/2025

The Isle of Wight should remain ‘as is’ as part of the overhaul of local government, according to the first draft of a devolution plan.

Derbyshire councils agree plans for two unitary authorities

10/03/2025

Local authorities in Derbyshire have agreed on a draft plan to create two unitary councils covering the north and south of the county.

CCN: Splitting up social care could cost £500m a year

07/03/2025

The annual cost of splitting up social care services into multiple smaller councils could exceed half a billion pounds, says County Councils' Network (CCN).

EXCLUSIVE: Stretched capacity slows pace of reorganisation

07/03/2025

Small unitary councils are to be spared reorganisation until the map has been redrawn in two-tier areas, local government minister Jim McMahon has told The MJ.

Survey reveals scepticism reorganisation will fix council finances

05/03/2025

A survey of senior council figures has revealed widespread scepticism that reorganisation will fix local finances while many warn of more bankruptcies.

Cornwall rejection fails to stop strategic authority plan

04/03/2025

Devon, Plymouth and Torbay are pushing forward with plans to create a mayoral strategic authority after being rebuffed by Cornwall.

City and county clash over reorganisation plans

28/02/2025

Staffordshire CC has teed up a clash with Stoke-on-Trent City Council by proposing a county unitary covering a population of 876,000.

Call for devolution beyond England

28/02/2025

The Government has faced a call to extend its English devolution agenda to Scotland.

Leicestershire pushes for 'transparent' talks with districts on reorganisation

27/02/2025

District councils have ‘excluded' Leicestershire CC from meetings and discussions about future plans for reorganisation.

Slicing districts could slow reorganisation for fast-track areas

14/02/2025

Cutting across district boundaries to make new unitaries could create a backlog of legislation and boundary reviews that stymies the Government’s reorganisation timetable.

London leaders seek new deal with Khan

07/02/2025

London borough leaders have demanded more formal influence over powers devolved to the capital.

Council leaders welcome new combined authority

07/02/2025

Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority has now been formerly established, moving the area closer to unlocking a £400m investment fund.

New Lancashire combined county authority launched

06/02/2025

The new Lancashire combined county authority has officially come into being.

Learning from NHS digital transformation

05/02/2025

Justin Day, CEO and co-founder of Cloud Gateway, considers what local government devolution can learn from NHS digital transformation.

Six areas chosen for devolution fast track

05/02/2025

Six new areas have been chosen to join the Government’s devolution priority programme.

What is local government reorganisation?

04/02/2025

Local government reorganisation is the process of changing the structure, functions and responsibilities of councils.

Medway bids for city status

31/01/2025

The leader of Medway Council has called on the Government to grant Medway city status to prevent reorganisation leading to a ‘significant loss of identity’.

Government has no evidence to support ‘mega councils’, DCN says

31/01/2025

Freedom of Information requests have exposed an ‘alarming’ lack of evidence to support the creation of mega councils, according to the District Councils’ Network (DCN).

Questions over financial impact of reorganisation

30/01/2025

Questions have been raised over whether the Government's approach to local government reorganisation will help resolve the financial crisis facing the sector.

Districts warn against ‘mega councils’

24/01/2025

District councils are prepared to engage with local government reorganisation but warn against ‘rigidly insisting’ on a minimum population of 500,000.

Mayor warns of creating 'behemoths'

22/01/2025

A mayor has warned of creating local government ‘behemoths' overburdened with responsibilities.

Norwich councillors back unitary bid

22/01/2025

Norwich City Council members have voted in favour of pursuing unitary status as part of the Government’s efforts to reorganise local government.

Lincolnshire leaders back local government shake up

22/01/2025

The leaders of three councils in Lincolnshire have proposed reducing the number of local authorities in the county from 10 to two.

Edinburgh tourism tax could be starting point for fiscal devolution, experts suggest

20/01/2025

The approach to a tourism tax being taken forward in Scottish and Welsh cities could be a starting point for fiscal devolution in England, experts suggest.

Ministry confirms 18 councils seeking election postponement

16/01/2025

The Government has officially revealed that it has received requests to postpone elections this year from 18 councils.

Council leader calls for Woking BC debt ‘write off’

14/01/2025

The leader of Surrey County Council has urged the Government to ‘write off’ £1bn of Woking BC's debt to enable the creation of a unitary authority.

LGA: Councils with ‘scarce resources’ need reorganisation support

13/01/2025

Councils that have bid to be on the fast-track for new devolution deals and reorganisation need extra funding and a quick decision on local elections, the LGA says.

Fifteen county areas bid to fast-track devolution and reorganisation

10/01/2025

Fifteen county areas are bidding to be on Labour's fast-track for new devolution deals and local government reorganisation (LGR) with all applying to postpone May elections to make this possible.

Voters ‘set to be deprived of local democracy’

10/01/2025

The District Councils’ Network has warned that millions of voters will be ‘deprived of their local democracy’ due to plans to postpone some county council elections.

McMahon: No cap on devo priority programme

10/01/2025

There will be no cap on the number of areas included in the Government's devolution priority programme, a minister has said.

Rayner rejects reorganisation 'distraction' claim

08/01/2025

Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has denied that local government reorganisation will impact on councils' ability to deliver services.

Warwickshire urged not to request election delay

08/01/2025

Four district councils in Warwickshire have urged the county council not to request a delay to its local elections this year.

Devon districts rally against unitarisation

07/01/2025

Devon’s eight district councils have joined forces to oppose the creation of a unitary authority for the county.

Elections in limbo as devo deadline looms

06/01/2025

County councils across England will decide this week whether to ask the Government to postpone this year's elections in order to reorganise and pursue devolution.

Tories set five tests for restructuring

24/12/2024

The Conservatives have set five tests for local government restructure as they hit back at Labour attempts to ‘dictate' to councils over the move.

Herts reorganisation threatens representation, leaders warn

24/12/2024

A single unitary council for Hertfordshire ‘risks diminishing local representation’, local leaders warn.

Exeter to make unitary bid in local government reorganisation

23/12/2024

Exeter City Council is set to make an independent bid for unitary status under the Government’s reorganisation plans.

Devolution revolution: Practical next steps for local authorities

20/12/2024

After a flurry of announcements affecting local government in the build-up to Christmas, councils must ensure they’re ready to get ahead of the curve in the New Year. Laura Hughes, partner at Browne Jacobson, offers some advice on this front.

CCN backs reorganisation

19/12/2024

The chair of the County Councils' Network (CCN), Tim Oliver, has backed radical Government plans to abolish dozens of local authorities by 2027.

What councils would like for Christmas

17/12/2024

Jonathan Carr-West, chief executive of the LGIU, reflects on the English Devolution White Paper and considers what councils will be asking for this Christmas.

Rayner to launch public sector rewire White Paper

16/12/2024

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner will kick off a huge rewiring of public service reform with the launch of the devolution White Paper in Leeds later today.

Council delays name change

13/12/2024

Tewkesbury Borough Council has pushed back changing its name amid delays to the Government’s devolution white paper.

South East councils on brink of ‘crisis’

04/12/2024

The local government system in the South East of England is on ‘the brink of looming crisis’, according to a think-tank.

Devolution would help skills 'mismatch' - report

03/12/2024

Government should give local areas greater powers over skills to address the ‘mismatch' of people needed for future industries, Birmingham Uni has urged.

Councils brace for reorganisation push

25/11/2024

Six counties in the east of England are expected to be among those at the front of the queue for local government reorganisation, it has been reported.

MPs call for the scrapping of 15 councils

25/11/2024

A group of Labour MPs have called for the abolition of Lancashire’s 15 councils in a bid to simplify local government in the county.

Elected mayor 'stumbling block' warning

21/11/2024

Ministers' insistence on a directly-elected mayor is ‘fast appearing on the horizon as a major stumbling block for English devolution', expert warns.

Suffolk talks devo with minister

19/11/2024

Suffolk CC's leader has said he remains committed to devolution in the county ‘streamlining local government' following a meeting with minister Jim McMahon.

London mayor calls for Right to Buy devolution

18/11/2024

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has called on the Government to devolve control over Right to Buy to the capital.

Call for new cultural powers for mayors

05/11/2024

Mayors in England should be handed significant new powers and responsibilities over the creative, cultural and heritage life of their regions, according to a new report.

Budget: Authorities to get single funding settlements

30/10/2024

The Government has announced the first six authorities eligible to receive single funding settlements.

Budget: Reorganisation confirmed in high tax, high spend Budget

30/10/2024

Local government reorganisation – and the efficiency savings it will make – were confirmed in Budget documents today.

EXCLUSIVE: Government to launch full reorganisation

28/10/2024

Plans for full local government reorganisation could be mooted as soon as this week's Budget, The MJ understands.

Fresh round of devolution talks for Norfolk launched

11/10/2024

A fresh round of devolution talks between Norfolk County Council and the Government was launched this week following a decision to halt an earlier £600m deal.

Mayors can relieve council pressures, says report

09/10/2024

Mayoral combined authorities (MCAs) can help with long-standing policy challenges in public services as well as boosting economic growth, a think-tank has argued.

Councils call on Government to 'back up its rhetoric' on devolution

04/10/2024

Councils have called for the Government to ‘back up its rhetoric' by devolving powers across England.

LGA calls for devolution of retrofit funding

30/09/2024

The Local Government Association (LGA) has urged the Government to use the Autumn Budget to devolve all funding for retrofitting social and fuel poor homes to councils.

Staffordshire leaders kick off devolution conversation

30/09/2024

Council leaders across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent have written to the Government to begin a conversation about devolution.

Wessex councils join forces for devolution

30/09/2024

Dorset, Somerset, and Wiltshire councils are set to submit expressions of interest in devolution in response to a request from the Government.

Further devolution needed to drive energy efficiency measures

25/09/2024

Devolution of funding is needed so that mayoral combined authorities can take the lead in delivering energy efficiency upgrades to homes, a new report says.

Rayner confirms four devolution agreements

19/09/2024

Four devolution agreements have been signed off in what the secretary of state for local government describes as ‘only the first step’ of a devolution drive.

'Financial emergency' council advised to join combined authority

16/09/2024

North Somerset Council will consider entering talks to join the West of England Combined Authority.

Labour scraps counties' devo deals

13/09/2024

Norfolk and Suffolk CCs have revealed the new Labour Government has scrapped the directly-elected county leader devolution deals agreed with the Conservatives.

Cheshire and Warrington councils talk devolution

05/09/2024

Local authorities in Cheshire and Warrington have made some ‘positive’ steps along the road to devolution.

Gough: Local government under water

04/09/2024

‘Big changes' to tackle the ‘structural problems' facing local government are needed to help councils survive but ‘priority' is devolution, Kent leader says.

Fiscal devolution could lead to greater inequalities, warns IFS

03/09/2024

Devolution must come with reform of council funding allocations or it could worsen inequalities, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) think-tank has warned.

Think-tank calls for £6bn devolution to tackle economic inactivity

02/09/2024

A think-tank has argued that the Government should transfer £6bn to local government in a bid to tackle economic inactivity.

Six club together for South Midlands devolution

27/08/2024

Steps are being taken towards forming a devolution proposal covering six councils in the South Midlands.

Cheshire devolution talks gain pace

19/08/2024

A partnership of three Cheshire councils is said to have emerged as an ‘early candidate’ for accelerated talks on devolution with the new Government.

Devolution deals in limbo as new proposals emerge

14/08/2024

Work is underway on a flurry of new devolution proposals despite a string of deals remaining in limbo.

Government urged to devolve council tax powers

31/07/2024

The Government should devolve the power to fix council tax rates to local authorities, a think-tank has urged.

McMahon: Existing devolution deals may be improved

26/07/2024

Local government minister Jim McMahon has said it is down to the Government to make devolution ‘attractive enough' for councils.

Devolution ‘essential’ to Labour's growth mission

25/07/2024

Devolution reforms will be essential if Labour is to fulfil its mission of nationwide growth, a new report has argued.

South East Councils calls for ‘seat’ at the devolution table

24/07/2024

Councils in the South East of England have written to the Government voicing concerns that they could be at a disadvantage in the ‘devolution revolution’.

Minister voices concern over districts' role in devolution

22/07/2024

District councils should be handed a greater role in devolution talks, a minister has said.

King's Speech: Devolution takes centre stage

17/07/2024

The announcement of an English Devolution Bill took centre stage in the King's Speech.

King's Speech: A plan for devolution

17/07/2024

The new Labour Government has set out a widespread plan for devolution and economic growth in its Parliamentary timetable, with central diktat reserved for planning proposals.

Taking Back Control: Why climate action needs devolution

17/07/2024

Christopher Hammond, UK100 chief executive and former council leader, argues that devolution is essential for tackling climate change.

Rayner promises ‘new devolution revolution’

16/07/2024

Angela Rayner will today write to local leaders urging them to work with Government on delivering ‘the most ambitious programme of devolution' ever seen.

Rayner: Labour ready to ‘transfer power out of Whitehall’

09/07/2024

Deputy PM Angela Rayner is set to tell regional mayors that Labour is ready to ‘transfer power out of Whitehall’ through a major programme of devolution.

Mayor tells Labour to ‘commit’ to the Northern Powerhouse

08/07/2024

The new Labour Government should ‘commit early to the Northern Powerhouse’, says the mayor of Greater Manchester.

Fresh calls for fiscal devo

04/07/2024

Backers of fiscal devolution have urged the government elected today to reconsider the policy despite their lobbying failing to get it mentioned in the manifestos.

NextGov: Devolutionary road

24/06/2024

Jonathan Werran, the chief executive of think-tank Localis, discusses what the next government should do to extend devolution.

Manchester legend Sir Howard Bernstein dies

22/06/2024

Former chief executive of Manchester City Council, Sir Howard Bernstein, has died, aged 71.

Warnings over Labour devolution drive

20/06/2024

A Labour drive to fill in the devolution map will take time and energy away from deepening devolution in areas that have already secured deals, expert warns.

Birmingham councillor becomes West Midlands deputy mayor

17/06/2024

The deputy leader of Birmingham City Council has been appointed as the deputy mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

‘Existential crisis’ for councils as £6bn funding gap revealed

06/06/2024

A new Local Government White Paper has uncovered a £6.2bn funding gap facing councils in England over the next two years.

Devolution deal delayed due to election

03/06/2024

Council leaders in the North West have reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a devolution deal despite election delay.

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