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Question
Does the Secretary of State accept that she has no electoral mandate for these changes, considering their potential impact on local services including planning delays?
Minister reply
The government's aim is to ensure fairer funding and more efficient governance structures. We are inviting all relevant councils to submit proposals for new unitary structures with extensive community engagement.
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Question
I welcome the commitment to putting power into local communities, as well as proposals from areas like Essex county council that want some changes. However, there are worries about impacts on vulnerable residents and day-to-day services.
Minister reply
We recognise the concerns raised about capacity and local services and we are ensuring that we work with local authorities to increase support for them so that this exercise will deliver better public local services for people.
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Question
I am disappointed that the list of cancelled elections was on social media before it was available to Parliament. The Conservative councils have created crises in special educational needs, and now they have been given the right to help design new authorities.
Minister reply
The delay is for a year from May 2025 to May 2026 and we are working with districts and local authorities to ensure that the consultation period and reorganisation are being done with them, not being done to them.
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Question
Will the Secretary of State look at some additional short-term funding to help council officials with that process? Will she look once again at reinstating the right of councillors to become part of the local government pension scheme?
Minister reply
We are delivering a real cash increase to councils, with £5 billion more in the settlement. We recognise that councils had it difficult under the previous Administration which is why we are working with them.
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Question
I fear this piecemeal approach will be disastrous, leaving us with a lot of lame duck local authorities.
Minister reply
Local areas are coming forward and we are working with them. I have talked about the real-terms cash injection which my hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution will set out in detail later this afternoon.
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Question
Will the Secretary of State encourage new local authorities to engage in co-development and co-production of services, taken in-house to end privatisation?
Minister reply
I encourage local authorities and local services to see where they can co-design services and support people in their local areas. These measures are not about party politics but about the delivery of vital public services.
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Question
How does abolishing Maldon district council enhance local decision making?
Minister reply
We are working with local areas using a bottom-up approach to deliver better public services. The right hon. Gentleman’s party pushed local authorities and local government to the brink.
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Question
The hon. Member inquired about the legal basis for postponing elections and whether it is right for democracy and taxpayers, given that local authorities will cease to exist within months.
Minister reply
The decision is based on the fact that holding elections to a body that will not exist in 12 months would be wasteful of taxpayers' money. The government supports local areas like Essex that wish to reorganise and see better services delivered.
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Question
The hon. Member inquired about options available for regions not included in the priority programme, such as the Heart of Wessex devolution deal.
Minister reply
While the Heart of Wessex devolution deal was not selected due to insufficient development, we encourage Members and local areas to continue working with the Government to deliver devolution across England.
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Question
The hon. Member highlighted cuts to Bradford council's funding since 2010 and asked for a long-term sustainable settlement.
Minister reply
We recognise the importance of local government services and will work on delivering sustainable funding into the future, reflecting real need.
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Question
The hon. Member asked for evidence that reorganisation would save money in the long term and warned of disruption from abolishing two-tier local government.
Minister reply
Evidence shows savings through reorganisation, but it is also about devolving power to deliver responsive public services at the local level.
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Question
The hon. Member thanked council leaders and staff for their work on a devolution deal and asked if the Government would look again at Bedfordshire, Luton, Milton Keynes’s offer to move forward by 2026.
Minister reply
While the proposals needed further development, we are committed to working with councils to achieve devolution across England.
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Question
The hon. Member expressed concern about the closure of Henry Cort community college and asked if proposals should be stopped.
Minister reply
The school closure is unrelated to local government reorganisation, which has been hit hard by cuts over the last decade.
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Question
The hon. Member welcomed reforms and funding injection and asked for confirmation of longer-term funding settlements.
Minister reply
Yes, we want to work with councils to deliver longer-term funding settlements to help them rebuild after years of Conservative cuts.
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Question
The hon. Member thanked the Deputy Prime Minister for ending uncertainty around Gloucestershire elections and asked for a clear timetable.
Minister reply
We will set out a timetable and work with local areas to ensure certainty and progress on reorganisation.
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Question
The hon. Member welcomed the commitment to ending two-tier local government in Hastings and Rye and asked for assurance about designing unitary authorities.
Minister reply
We are not setting a hard target on size but will work with local areas to determine appropriate sizes based on their needs.
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Question
The Secretary of State's statement on local government reorganisation
Minister reply
Today I announce the postponement of local elections in certain areas to facilitate a one-year delay for reorganisation that will deliver better services for local people. The decision follows consultation with councils and aims to address years of cuts and failure from previous Conservative governments, delivering a real-terms cash increase of 6.8% or £69 billion to local authorities across England.
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Question
Responding to criticism about the cancellation of local elections in Eastbourne and Sussex
Minister reply
We have said that we will facilitate a one-year delay for reorganisation that will deliver for the people of Eastbourne. Those councillors were elected and they are doing the job for their local areas, and we will continue to deliver the biggest wave of real-terms cash increase—6.8% or £69 billion—to local authorities to help them deliver services and turn the tide on the years of cuts and failure from the Conservatives.
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Question
Inquiring about financial support for Portsmouth in its move towards devolution
Minister reply
I can confirm to her that we will be giving financial and logistical support to local authorities as we move towards supporting them in delivering good local services.
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Question
Questioning the Secretary of State about Norfolk county council's record and devolution process
Minister reply
What we are trying to achieve here is to push power out of Whitehall into local areas and to reform local government so that we can build better public services for local people. I hope the hon. Gentleman will work with us to deliver that for his constituents.
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Question
Asking about ensuring Whitehall's vested interests do not hinder more devolution in the west midlands
Minister reply
We want to see more devolution across the west midlands. This Government are determined to work with local authorities and local areas to deliver devolution, because we know that people with skin in the game will deliver better public services, which those people rely on.
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Question
Commenting on the ambitiousness of English devolution
Minister reply
80% of England will be covered by devolution under these plans. That is a fantastic step forward for all parts of England, and I look forward to continuing to work with Scotland—they have got their devolution, which we delivered for them.
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Question
Requesting assurances about protecting key local identity buildings during reorganisation
Minister reply
We value local community assets and are bringing forward plans for greater powers, including community right to buy. We will ask all councils to ensure that heritage assets are considered.
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Question
Questioning the democratic legitimacy of cancelling local elections
Minister reply
It is not Labour that is cancelling the local elections; it is those councils that are asking for the opportunity to do reorganisation.
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Question
Inquiring about the timetable for other local authorities in the devolution revolution
Minister reply
We recognise that some will be disappointed that we have not taken their offer forward this time round. Some of them needed a bit more time and development, but we are absolutely committed to deliver that.
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Question
Concerning about the impact of debt on constituents during unitarisation
Minister reply
We will continue to work with local areas. I understand that some areas have more debt than others. The Minister for Local Government and English Devolution will lead a debate later on the local government settlement.
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Question
Welcoming the statement's ambition for Lancashire's devolution
Minister reply
Absolutely. I am hopeful that Lancashire will have a mayor by 2026.
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Question
Seeking clarity on addressing financial issues in Surrey during devolution
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Question
Special educational needs and disabilities families in Erewash and across Derbyshire have been broadly let down by Conservative-run Derbyshire county council, as was profoundly shown in the recent Ofsted report. While I firmly believe that reorganisation of our local services will improve SEND services, news of the devolution plans has caused families in my area to worry that reorganisation might mean further disruption to services. Can the Secretary of State reassure me and the many SEND families in Erewash that measures will be taken to ensure a smooth handover between the old authorities and the new?
Minister reply
I totally understand the concerns raised by my hon. Friend regarding his constituents in Erewash and the situation faced by Derbyshire county council. We have put £1 billion into SEND services, alongside increased funding for local authorities to address pressures within these systems. We are committed to working across party lines to deliver better outcomes for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
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Question
I thank the Secretary of State for finally confirming that elections will go ahead in Devon. However, we had been told that, if we were not selected this time round, devolution would be imposed on us. Will the Secretary of State please give an explanation to my constituents in Exmouth and Exeter East of what that imposition will look like?
Minister reply
We signed a devolution deal for Devon just this week and are committed to working forward with local leaders, including Members from across the House who have interests in their areas, to deliver better public services and push power down from Westminster into local areas. This is the start of a process, aimed at delivering improved opportunities around transport and skills.
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Question
Conservative-led Gloucestershire county council has a dreadful record. The Care Quality Commission says that adult social services require improvement, children’s services are described as catastrophic, the fire service is in special measures, the health service is failing, local authority schools are crumbling, the SEND system is broken, and do not get me started on the potholes. No wonder the Conservatives on the county council wanted our elections cancelled this May. Will the Deputy Prime Minister agree to meet me and local leaders in Gloucester to ensure that we get the best deal for Gloucester residents from local government reorganisation and devolution?
Minister reply
Like the rest of England, Gloucester did not fare well under Conservative leadership. Councils have faced significant pressures alongside a 23% cut over the last decade by the previous Government. The Minister for Local Government and English Devolution will be happy to meet my hon. Friend and others on these issues. We are committed to delivering better funding for local authorities and unlocking their potential through our devolution agenda.
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Question
The Deputy Prime Minister has been clear that where there is cancellation, it is for devolution and reorganisation to go forward. However, my constituents in Bexhill and Battle are concerned about the implications of centralising power from local communities to remote county halls when the Government cancel elections. Can she confirm that the Government will not impose huge remote unitary county councils against the wishes of local residents, and how can she justify cancelling local elections when councillors last elected have no mandate to lead on negotiating changes expected to last half a century?
Minister reply
I have been clear that devolution and reorganisation are essential for delivering better services. I am committed to working with councils to ensure these processes deliver benefits for local people, rather than imposing centralised solutions against their will.
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Question
Derbyshire county council has a terrible record on delivering SEND services and much-loved community assets and care homes. The opportunity to give the council the treatment it deserves in May is welcomed, but can the Deputy Prime Minister assure me that the best of our councils will be involved in any reorganisation and that we will take the good forward?
Minister reply
Absolutely. We want to work with all councils to deliver better services across North East Derbyshire and other areas. Our Government has been investing in ending pothole scandals seen under previous administrations.
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Question
The Isle of Wight council is already a unitary authority. Given the Deputy Prime Minister's statement about postponing our elections, can she confirm that future reorganisation of the council is on the negotiating table? Otherwise, why would she be cancelling our elections?
Minister reply
Nothing has been taken off the table regarding potential reorganisation for the Isle of Wight. We are committed to delivering reorganisation and supporting local leaders in achieving this goal.
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Question
Given Nuneaton's potential growth, can the Secretary of State reassure us that support will be given during the appraisal of all possible options for reorganisation to ensure that this growth is not stifled by past failures?
Minister reply
Absolutely. We are committed to working with local areas like Nuneaton to unlock their full potential and deliver better services following 14 years of underfunded Conservative leadership.
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Question
Proper functioning democracy costs money. My constituents in Great Yarmouth do not like being represented by unelected councillors, so can she give a copper-bottomed guarantee that the new Norfolk and Suffolk homunculus council will have its elections in May 2026?
Minister reply
I am clear on the decision to postpone elections this year. This ensures stability for local authorities focusing on service delivery rather than election cycles, and we are committed to having proper democratic processes reinstated.
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Question
As Bournemouth East MP and former councillor, I welcome the devolution proposals. BCP council voted for a Wessex deal late in the day, and I am disappointed that BCP will not be prioritised for devolution of skills where they could have been under a Hampshire proposal. How can I ensure that my local communities will not be left behind?
Minister reply
Absolutely. We are committed to working with all areas across England to deliver better services and opportunities, including discussions on how best to support economic ties and geographic similarities for effective governance.
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Question
As MP for Lewes, I express outrage over the cancellation of East Sussex elections against the will of residents. What is the justification for this?
Minister reply
We are working with local areas to deliver devolution and push power down to local authorities. The 12-month delay was to facilitate reorganisation and devolution in those areas, a process that has happened under previous governments.
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Question
Welcoming the statement, I ask why Conservative-run Warwickshire county council requested election postponement. Was it to avoid public scrutiny of their poor record on SEND education, rural roads, and transport?
Minister reply
We will work with all local authorities to deliver devolution despite some disappointment. We continue to be committed, and the Minister for Local Government is happy to take this forward, aiming to benefit Warwickshire and its constituents.
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Question
The consultation has been a mess. Would she accept a legal invitation to meet borough leaders, MPs, and Leicestershire county council leadership to discuss devolution shape?
Minister reply
We are happy to meet local leaders for consultations on devolution, working with local MPs and continuing the direction of travel which we have made clear.
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Question
Excited about Cumbria’s elections but concerned about rumoured mayor candidates from Conservative associations. Will democratic accountability include a ban on second jobs?
Minister reply
The Government’s direction on second jobs is clear, and we desire democratic accountability for mayors.
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Question
Due to financial mismanagement by Conservatives in Surrey, my constituents will lose their right to vote against the party causing this mess. Does she find it perverse?
Minister reply
We are working with Surrey to deliver and bring forward solutions despite the situation there.
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Question
Mayors can make a difference, but Tees Valley’s mayor has ruled out public control of buses. What can be done to force mayors to use their powers?
Minister reply
We welcome the delivery of better services by Greater Manchester and encourage Teesside MPs to work with the mayor for improved transport and connectivity.
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Question
This approach sounds like instructions rather than invitations, causing concern among residents in Fylde. Will she meet residents and businesses there?
Minister reply
We are working with local areas and taking an approach of consultation to ensure devolution benefits people across the country.
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Question
Regarding the Council of Europe framework convention for national minorities, will the devolution Bill in no way contravene its letter or spirit?
Minister reply
We recognise the uniqueness of Cornwall’s area and the status under the Council of Europe. Conversations continue to ensure sensitivity towards Cornish people.
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Question
Voters in Chichester are disappointed by the cancellation of their voting rights for a unitary authority in 12 months. Is this process rushed?
Minister reply
This is not a rushed process but rather reorganisation coming because we are working with local areas who had credible plans to achieve within that programme.
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Question
Devolution will allow Norwich and Norfolk to fulfil their potential. What powers mayors will have, and will cities like Norwich be heard?
Minister reply
We aim to ensure that cities such as Norwich, key drivers of growth, will have their voices heard in this process.
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Question
Will merging councils that are financially struggling provide security?
Minister reply
We are working with local areas to deliver reorganisation, and the population figure of 500,000 is a guide for efficiency. We acknowledge financial constraints faced by councils after 14 years under Conservative rule and have provided a cash-terms increase of 6.8% for them.
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Question
What steps are being taken to ensure that Cornwall receives the services it deserves?
Minister reply
We aim to reverse decline caused by previous Conservative cuts of 23% over a decade. We have implemented a cash-terms increase for local authorities and will continue supporting the devolution agenda, working with Cornwall to help it thrive.
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Question
Will district councils be included in invitations sent out by the Government?
Minister reply
We are writing to two-tier areas and engaging with all tiers. The Minister for Local Government will continue this work, and I am sure they would be happy to meet with hon. Members if requested.
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Question
Does the Deputy Prime Minister agree that these plans will make Essex's local government clearer, more efficient, and more accountable?
Minister reply
We aim to address issues like decaying roads. We commend Essex for working with us to put people first in their local area.
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Question
Can the Government help Lancashire progress into the next phase of devolution?
Minister reply
We commend the hon. Gentleman and others for working to continue putting Lancashire on the map. We recognise Lancashire's unique situation and have put it in the priority programme.
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Question
Why is Surrey not included in the devolution priority programme?
Minister reply
We are including Surrey within the programme because of its unique challenges. We need a reorganisation first, but we recognise Surrey's situation and will work with local leaders to deliver services.
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Question
What protections can be offered for institutions when becoming unitary?
Minister reply
We are bringing forward legislation and support to protect local heritage and community assets, but we will continue engaging with local areas to ensure better services.
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Question
What does the Secretary of State say to people who have lost their right to vote?
Minister reply
They have not lost their right to vote; however, voting in an election that is not going ahead would be inefficient. We are working with councillors to deliver better local services after 14 years of decay under Conservatives.
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Question
How will officer time and local consultation be handled during the reorganisation process?
Minister reply
Senior officers and local areas will work on this issue. We are committed to providing financial support, there will be local consultations, and details will be outlined in letters sent out. Delays have been put in place specifically for reorganisation.
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Question
In reference to the reorganisation of strategic mayoral authorities, is consideration being given for realigning authorities with integrated care boards to avoid service delivery issues on borders?
Minister reply
Yes, we recognise that changes are needed in health services. We have invested £22 billion into the NHS and ICBs are part of our devolution agenda as outlined in the White Paper.
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Question
What assessment has been made regarding the capacity of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to deliver boundary reviews, and what financial support will be given to councils to merge vital public services?
Minister reply
We understand that reorganisation is a major task, which is why we are committed to providing extra support on a case-by-case basis. The Government will work with local leaders to meet the timetable for elections in May 2026.
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Question
How will the size of unitary authorities be determined, and is it possible that Torbay could remain a separate unitary despite being one of the smallest in the country?
Minister reply
The decision on unitary authority sizes is based on a guide rather than strict rules. We are committed to working with local leaders to facilitate expansion if desired and ensure public services are responsive to local needs.