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English Devolution
16 December 2024
Lead MP
Jim McMahon
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
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Other Contributors: 51
At a Glance
Jim McMahon raised concerns about english devolution in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
The Minister announced the publication of the English devolution White Paper, emphasising a shift in power from Westminster to local communities. The aim is to reverse economic decline by empowering local leadership through mayoral models and strategic authorities. This includes integrated funding settlements, increased control over transport and housing, and a new constitutional settlement guaranteeing powers for each level of government. The Government will introduce a devolution priority programme with accelerated timescales, setting up inaugural mayoral elections in May 2026, and establish a power of ministerial directive to ensure full coverage if local agreement is not reached. He also highlighted the importance of strong local government through multi-year funding settlements and unitarisation to improve service delivery.
David Simmonds
Con
Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
Question
The MP questioned whether the White Paper undermines local democracy by stripping councillors of decision-making powers and imposing financial constraints. He also pointed out issues such as the removal of elected councillors’ say on planning decisions despite failing housing targets, unclear timelines for mayoral elections, and the imposition of mayoral levies that could further burden local taxpayers.
Minister reply
The Minister responded by emphasising the importance of a new constitutional settlement to empower local leaders through integrated funding settlements and strategic authorities. He acknowledged challenges but highlighted the Government’s commitment to resetting the relationship with local government for better service delivery and economic growth.
David Simmonds
Con
Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
Question
According to Ipsos MORI data, only a minority of constituents trust central Government Ministers compared to local councillors. The proposal strips elected councillors' say on planning and introduces financial constraints leading to higher council taxes. It also requires councils to reapply for their own jobs while increasing responsibilities.
Minister reply
Minister McMahon acknowledged the criticisms but defended the government's approach, pointing out that previous Conservative governments left local authorities with significant fiscal challenges such as 1000-audit backlogs and £100 billion of unaccounted public money. He highlighted the current multi-year financial settlement to support local government reform and stressed the need for a break from centralising power.
Florence Eshalomi
Lab Co-op
Vauxhall and Camberwell Green
Question
Will the minister outline how he will ensure residents do not feel disenfranchised by losing representation in their community? Will there be proper accountability during reorganisation, and will smaller districts that choose not to adopt a mayoral model face disadvantages?
Minister reply
The Minister assured that local government representations will be self-organised within counties. He also emphasised the White Paper's commitment to genuine power devolution and rebuilding community power at neighbourhood level, ensuring every council reflects local communities democratically.
Vikki Slade
Lib Dem
Mid Dorset and North Poole
Question
Local councils are the backbone of our communities, delivering services to every home and business. Under the last Conservative Government their funding was slashed while their responsibilities were broadened, which means that many now face a financial precipice not of their making. The White Paper fails to say anything meaningful about the ticking time bomb of social care, and its reference to the financial crisis being faced up and down the country hints at further devolution. My question is, what can the Minister do to ensure that local communities do not feel like this is a top-down diktat and can make their own decisions about the future?
Minister reply
I thank the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for her question, and for her service as an elected council member for a period. I understand that there will be concerns about the move to larger unitaries, but the fact is that there is a two-tier premium that the taxpayer is paying. At a time when resources are limited, we have a responsibility to take money from councils’ overhead costs in the back office and bring them to the frontline to give people good neighbourhood services. We want to reform councillors as frontline councillors —as the conveners of a community, with greater power and influence and the ability to get things done. An additional £4 billion was provided in the Budget for social care, with a provisional settlement to be announced this week.
Cat Smith
Lab
Lancaster and Wyre
Question
Although the Minister said in his statement that the proposal was the end of a top-down approach from central Government, to many of my constituents it looks like a one-size-fits-all model that works for Greater Manchester, which he represents quite ably, but does not necessarily work for the rural English counties. What assurances can the Minister give my constituents—and me, frankly—that this approach will not be imposed on local areas against their will?
Minister reply
I thank my hon. Friend for her question and for securing a Westminster Hall debate on this very issue. The Government do not accept the one-size-fits-all argument any more than an argument that councillors work in some areas but not others, and that Members of Parliament work in some areas but not others. In the end, when given the powers and resources, mayors can achieve change in partnership with local leaders. We are creating a strategic authority that will give power from this place downwards, giving councillors far more power.
Edward Leigh
Con
Gainsborough
Question
The Government say that they want to end the top-down approach. How does that square with a district council such as West Lindsey in Lincolnshire being denied any say in massive solar farms or wind turbines? Will the Minister do me a favour and confirm that his aim is to pass more power back to district councils? Indeed, will he promise that he will not unilaterally abolish them just because we have a new mayor for Lincolnshire?
Minister reply
It would be a bit rude to diminish the powers of the Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire before they are in place, especially as I will move the order enabling the election to happen. We need to take party politics out of the conversation and work in good faith with local leaders who want to put party politics to one side and work in the interests of their local community.
South Shields
Question
Decisions taken in this place are subject to rigorous scrutiny and accountability, but recent history in several areas shows that that is not always the case with local decision making—not all councillors and mayors are paragons of virtue. As we dissolve more powers, can my hon. Friend explain what levels of scrutiny and accountability will be built into his plans?
Minister reply
It is a very important point. We need to ensure that checks and balances are robust if we give more powers and resources downwards. There are recommendations in the White Paper on the principles of a local public accounts committee, for example, so that public spending can be brought into scope. We are also looking at oversight for the bodies that strategic authorities establish, such as trading companies or joint ventures.
Gagan Mohindra
Con
South West Hertfordshire
Question
I welcome the Minister to his place; this is the first opportunity I have had to do so. As the Department will be aware, both Dacorum borough council and Three Rivers district council in my constituency do not have a local plan in place. They are both controlled by the Liberal Democrats. Will the Minister confirm what would happen in the case of his proposed plans? Separate to that, we have local county elections next May. What are his intentions for them? Do they still go ahead?
Minister reply
If any areas at this point have failed to get a local plan in place, they are leaving the door open for development to take place without any checks and balances, which really does take away local power. We will look at strategic plans in those areas where local plans are not in place. On county elections, we will accept the view that if a local authority will not exist in the near future, it makes no sense to have an election to it. However, we will very soon after want to have an election for the shadow authority that will follow.
Oliver Ryan
Ind
Burnley
Question
I thank the Minister for his White Paper. At the back of it, there are five pages of powers that are not currently enjoyed by Lancashire, as a foundation authority. Will he agree to work with partners in Lancashire to ensure that we can get a deal done and over the line for a mayoral and a reorganisation package? Lancashire’s time is now and, in his words, can we grasp this moment and this movement?
Minister reply
Well, I am glad somebody was listening! There are huge opportunities in Lancashire. The Government's ambition is clear: we welcome areas making submissions for mayoral combined authorities and want to work towards more of these bodies. It is not the role of the government to impose reorganisation but to support local areas working out a plan that suits their place.
Lewis Cocking
Con
Broxbourne
Question
I place on record my thanks to my two district councils, which I wholeheartedly support: Broxbourne and East Herts. Page 17 of the White Paper states that the Government want to create unitary councils of “500,000 or more”. What does “or more” mean? Does that mean I could end up with a “super council” for Hertfordshire covering 1.2 million people, which is not a proposal that I would support?
Minister reply
The Government's direction is to provide clarity upfront so local government can organise better. The population threshold of 500,000 is set for efficiency; however, flexibility will be needed in terms of scale and size of the councils under mayoral combined authorities.
Toby Perkins
Lab
Chesterfield
Question
Derbyshire already has a mayor, but we have a two-tier authority. If we cannot get agreement on the size of the unitary authority, will Derbyshire and similar authorities still hold elections next May, and how will my hon. Friend break the impasse if those at county level want one Derbyshire and those in the districts want two or three?
Minister reply
Elections to existing authorities should proceed as planned unless there is a proposal for reorganisation. In such cases, elections may be postponed so that an election for a shadow authority can follow. The Government's role is to invite and receive proposals rather than redraw maps; decisions must come from local authorities.
Lee Dillon
Lib Dem
Newbury
Question
Councils are clearly on their knees, and I welcome multi-year funding settlements and changes in the grant programme, but will the Minister confirm that the Government will support devolution so that not a penny of councils’ budgets is spent on it and they can focus on frontline services? In his statement, the Minister said that councils could ‘take their time to decide on the course they wish to follow’, but went on to say that the Government would ‘legislate…to create strategic authorities’ where they felt that was necessary. How does the Minister square those two sentences?
Minister reply
This is about partnership and working together transparently towards a process with clear stages so local authorities know their position in it. If by the end of Parliament, consensus within an area for devolution has been reached but one authority holds out, creating a strategic authority may be considered.
Andy MacNae
Lab
Rossendale and Darwen
Question
I hugely welcome the White Paper. For us who are in the frontline trying to deliver services to our residents under the dysfunctional two-tier system that exists in Lancashire, this is a breath of fresh air. It is exactly what we have been requesting for years. Does the Minister agree that now is the time for Lancashire leaders to put aside short-term personal and political considerations, not to wait for the Bill to be published, and to work with urgency in drawing up proposals for new local government structures that are focused on the needs of residents and, ultimately, bring the highest level of devolution to Lancashire?
Minister reply
I understand there are tensions but council leaders across parties have shown they can respect differences. The progress made towards a mayoral combined authority in Lancashire is positive, with commitments to submit proposals by autumn next year.
James Cleverly
Con
Braintree
Question
If devolution means anything, it means giving local leaders the right to do things differently. If a future mayor of Essex wants to compete with London by creating a less heavily regulated or less heavily taxed business environment, would that individual have the power to do so under the proposals put forward by the Government?
Minister reply
The aim is to provide genuine freedoms and flexibilities for local leaders to attract investment. The White Paper represents an ambition to raise the level of devolution across various competencies critical for economic development and regeneration.
Matt Rodda
Lab
Reading Central
Question
I thank the Minister for his statement. I welcome the prospect of the further devolution of powers over transport, housing and other important economic matters. Can the Minister outline the greater scope for using those powers? In Berkshire, we would like to see a western rail link to Heathrow, which would dramatically improve connectivity between Reading, Slough and Heathrow airport. Unfortunately, many other strategic projects have been held up, such as a third bridge for Reading. Will he comment on the potential benefits of devolving these issues?
Minister reply
The White Paper points to ambitious plans in transport devolution including rail and multimodal transport with single ticketing options to ensure affordability and linkage across modes.
Tim Farron
Lib Dem
Westmorland and Lonsdale
Question
The Minister will know that in Cumbria we are still going through the process of a reorganisation that happened just 18 months ago. Does he understand why residents, businesses and everybody else in both parts of Cumbria—are outraged at the thought that a mayoral model might be imposed on us? Is that not the opposite of devolution?
Minister reply
I pay tribute to leaders in Cumbria for the engagement we have had; I recognise they have been through a reorganisation and there has been a lot to settle. We are looking at a priority programme for areas ready to go, but recognise different places need different approaches.
Perran Moon
Lab
Camborne and Redruth
Question
What is the Minister’s vision of how the Government will put into practice the legal obligations to protect and support Cornish national minority status in the same way that it is protected for our Celtic cousins in Wales and Scotland?
Minister reply
We recognise identity issues strongly felt in Cornwall. The White Paper points to an optimal population size but a nuanced approach may be needed. Established powers related to integrated settlements and devolved powers will come with a mayor, as Cornwall has agreed to a level 2 deal.
Harriett Baldwin
Con
West Worcestershire
Question
Surely we in this House can all agree that good local services are delivered when there are excellent, hard-working local councillors who have been democratically elected. Can the Minister take this opportunity to rule out any suggestion that he is cancelling any county council elections next year?
Minister reply
If councils meet the test and have a credible programme in place for reorganisation, elections will likely be postponed until the year after to elect shadow authorities.
Gareth Snell
Lab Co-op
Stoke-on-Trent Central
Question
Can the Minister set out what will happen to existing unitary authorities? Can he also say how, as part of this review, he will protect the identities of communities who look to a place rather than to a compass point and a county name?
Minister reply
Devolution or reorganisation has to get the balance right between ensuring economic footprint recognition, public service boundary alignment, and capturing identity. The tests that will be applied are in the White Paper.
Layla Moran
Lib Dem
Oxford West and Abingdon
Question
Why should district councils face finding themselves lumped in with underperforming councils? Surely, rather than having a distracting reorganisation, proper devolution to those councils that are doing well is the way to deliver for local people.
Minister reply
There is nothing in the White Paper that is about decrying the work done by local government. This is about local areas coming together and making a request to the Government for local government reorganisation and/or devolution.
Chris Curtis
Lab
Milton Keynes North
Question
Can the Minister reassure me that authorities with greater ambition, which are ready to act swiftly in line with the powers and vision outlined in the White Paper, will be given the opportunity to revise their proposals and to fast-track a mayoral model on geographies better suited to delivering results for their residents?
Minister reply
Proposals from areas that came forward through the expression of interest process are not binding either on local areas or on the Government. We expect further proposals to come forward, including from the same areas.
Bernard Jenkin
Con
Harwich and North Essex
Question
What guarantee can the Minister give that there will be new money from the Treasury to fund the costs of any local government reorganisation in Essex?
Minister reply
The Government will provide capacity to enable both devolution and local government reorganisation through discussions with local authorities. Some might be funding, some support through workforce development.
Dave Robertson
Lab
Lichfield
Question
I draw the House’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, which lists me as a member of Lichfield city council and Lichfield district council. I want to touch on the future of parish and town councils, as the White Paper talks in two places about stronger engagement between the new authorities and parish councils. Can the Minister go further by saying how that will work, particularly given their importance in places like Staffordshire?
Minister reply
Again, we say in the White Paper—I also referenced this in my opening remarks—that it was a Labour Government who introduced quality status for parish councils to recognise that that tier of government has a very important role to play and can do far more if trusted and given the power to do so.
Manuela Perteghella
Lib Dem
Stratford-on-Avon
Question
I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as a district councillor. Real devolution means empowering local communities, not centralising power into regional super-unitary councils. Residents in my constituency of Stratford-on-Avon would be best represented by a south Warwickshire unitary council, rather than a remote Warwickshire-wide unitary council, which will have five different local plans. Does the Minister agree that a top-down minimum target population of half a million people risks dividing existing communities and forcing together communities with no shared identity?
Minister reply
That is a fair point. I am losing track of the number of MPs who are standing up to declare they are still councillors, although I recognise there is a transition—I went through it myself—and there may be an overlap between being a councillor and a Member of Parliament.
Jayne Kirkham
Lab Co-op
Truro and Falmouth
Question
Cornwall will welcome further devolution. We are a long way from London, but I want to build on the question about town councils. In places like Cornwall, cuts to unitary councils have meant town councils have already taken on a lot of responsibility, so how does the Minister see those town councils continuing in the future?
Minister reply
When Labour was last in government, we brought forward landmark legislation to create the Mayor of London, Parliaments in Scotland and Wales and the Assembly in Northern Ireland. The quality council status was introduced for parish and town councils, and powers on wellbeing and other matters were given to local government.
Simon Hoare
Con
North Dorset
Question
There is much to commend in the White Paper and, broadly, the Minister is to be congratulated. However, he knows as well as I do, as welcome as the multi-year settlement announcement is, it is predicated on an outdated and effectively broken funding system. I understand the Treasury is not keen to revisit that in any meaningful way, but may I urge him to consider a rural-proofing mechanism to the funding formula, to ensure that the additional costs of delivering local services in rural areas are recognised?
Minister reply
I thank the hon. Gentleman, who is my predecessor, for his question and for the tone with which he dealt with us in opposition; I honour that in return. The fair funding review is absolutely critical.
Bayo Alaba
Lab
Southend East and Rochford
Question
In comparable countries, a city like Southend would generate £55 billion more across the country. Will the Minister explain what powers the English devolution Bill will give to mayors, so they can drive local growth and areas can fulfil their financial potential?
Minister reply
I remember when the Greater Manchester devolution deal was signed in 2014. Its principles were to reform public services, so we could focus on prevention rather than crisis management, which is more expensive and has worse outcomes, and grow the local tax base, because the area would become more productive through investment.
James McMurdock
Ind
South Basildon and East Thurrock
Question
Yesterday, a former Labour deputy leader referred to my party as a “threat to democracy”. I am sure that was a cute turn of phrase for television, but given that the framework that the Minister has laid out allows elections next year to be gamed so easily, is the real threat not potentially the Labour party?
Minister reply
I would not characterise the hon. Gentleman’s party as a threat to democracy, but it might be a threat to sanity. We are all tested on a too-regular basis by fairly ridiculous statements that try to drive a wedge and divide people instead of bringing them together.
Jim Dickson
Lab
Dartford
Question
It is instructive to hear a former local government Minister on the Opposition Benches, the hon. Member for North Dorset (Simon Hoare), describe the current system as “broken”. That is probably why we need the White Paper. My constituents have grown weary and frustrated at non-delivery by various tiers of local government in Kent, particularly when it comes to failures to provide special educational needs and disabilities support for pupils, and poor bus services compared with neighbouring ones in London. What hope for better delivery across all services—schools, social care, health, transport and roads—might we have from the White Paper?
Minister reply
It was previously very difficult for the Government to have an honest conversation with local government about what an adequate level of public service provision should be in a given place, because they knew full well that they were not providing the resources to enable that to happen in a fair way across the country.
Clive Jones
Lib Dem
Wokingham
Question
My constituents will be waiting to see how the Department’s plans for local government reorganisation affect Wokingham borough council. They will want to ensure that their voices are listened to if we are to be shuffled around, merged or abolished by Whitehall. Importantly, they will want to know whether the Government’s plans will hit their wallets. Can the Minister commit to ensuring that funding for any changes will come from his Department, not from council tax, which should instead be used to fund vital local services?
Minister reply
Only this week are we seeing a genuine redistribution of money in the local government system so that it goes to the areas that need it the most. For far too long, the funding formula did not recognise deprivation or that some tax bases are weaker at a local level than others.
Alice Macdonald
Lab Co-op
Norwich North
Question
I hope that Norfolk will be part of the devolution priority programme so that we can unlock the powers and funding that we need on areas from transport to housing. May I ask the Minister specifically about the role of key cities? Norwich is a key national and regional economic power, but it needs devolution to fully unlock its potential. It is vital that we have a key role and voice in the process of devolution and reorganisation. Can he assure us that that will be the case, and set out the process for cities in particular to do that?
Minister reply
Obviously, we inherited the plans for Norfolk and Suffolk from the previous Government. I will be clear that we could not progress with that deal because it would have seen directly elected council leaders assume the role of a mayor, but without the framework in place to support that, which we did not support. We have been working constructively with both counties to look at a mayoral combined authority over a bigger footprint, and we hope they will come forward as part of the programme. That is a matter for them. They may decide now is not the right time, but there is huge potential.
Desmond Swayne
Con
New Forest West
Question
What say will voters in the New Forest have if there are proposals to remove either their district council or their county council?
Minister reply
Local government reorganisation is a statutory process, so it requires local areas to produce plans, as does devolution. Both are required to go to public consultation to solicit views—that is part of the process. When the formal process starts, the Government’s role is to assess the proposals and the consultation as submitted. We do not take a view on geography and form until we make the final decision.
Andrew Cooper
Lab
Mid Cheshire
Question
The biggest issues holding back economic growth in Mid Cheshire are long-term under-investment in our transport infrastructure and the lack of a joined-up skills agenda, working with businesses across local authority borders. That is not unique to my constituency. The reality is that, in 2010, east Germany’s economy overtook northern England’s, and that trend has accelerated over the past 14 years. What new powers will the English devolution Bill give strategic authorities to drive improvements in local transport and to take control of their sub-region’s skills agenda?
Minister reply
This was one of the reasons why we were so keen to complete the map of the north of England. Most would accept that strategic transport, certainly, crosses county boundaries. If we think about connectivity in the north of England, how Lancashire, Greater Manchester, the Liverpool city region, Cheshire, Cumbria and the rest are joined up, and then even into Yorkshire, requires co-ordination. We want mayors and strategic authorities to work together across that pan-region, so that even more powers can be devolved to address the type of issues that my hon. Friend talks about.
Ben Obese-Jecty
Con
Huntingdon
Question
According to the White Paper, a constituency like mine will see Cambridgeshire county council and Huntingdonshire district council merged into a unitary council as the principal authority, under Cambridgeshire and Peterborough combined authority as the strategic authority. How will unitary councillors fulfil the roles of multiple district and county councillors in a part-time capacity, and what does it also mean for the forthcoming combined authority mayoral election in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough?
Minister reply
The forthcoming election for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will go ahead as planned. There is no proposal to change the boundary of what is currently a combined authority that will move to being a strategic authority. Local government reorganisation where there is an existing mayoral combined authority, providing that it is coterminous in terms of the review it has undertaken, will not have an impact at all. All that happens is the membership of the combined authority will change to reflect the new council structures as they appear.
Tom Hayes
Lab
Bournemouth East
Question
As a former councillor of 10 years who sought election to this place to give power back to communities, I am absolutely thrilled by this devolution White Paper, and I congratulate the Minister on bringing it forward. I have two points. On page 16, there is an ambition to make the mayor the chair of the integrated care partnership and also the police and crime commissioner, as in South Yorkshire. I commend that and would like to hear more about it. On page 94, there is a proposal for a right to buy community asset. Hengistbury Head outdoor centre in my constituency just found out that it will be a community benefit society with a lease for 99 years, but it has taken far too long to get to that place. I invite the Minister to come to Hengistbury Head outdoor centre—it may involve getting in a kayak—to find out more about what this right to buy could involve at the ground level. I would love to know more about the Government’s intent on the matter.
Minister reply
I know many Labour and Co-operative Members of Parliament have been campaigning hard on the extended community right to buy. That is about giving communities the power to take over those important community assets on their high streets and in their town centres in a meaningful way. The Minister for local growth, my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham North and Kimberley (Alex Norris), is working hard on a communities White Paper, which will provide far more detail. In the end, it is not just about that community right to buy; it is about a genuine shift where people feel far more control, power and agency in the places where they live.
Mark Francois
Con
Rayleigh and Wickford
Question
Trying to create multiple unitary authorities in Essex will not work, will not have public support, will take the best part of a Parliament to implement and will not save money—in fact, quite the opposite—and there is a risk that local government will grind to a halt in the meantime. As for mayors, in 23 years of canvassing in my constituency, I have never once had a constituent say to me on the doorstep, “I want a mayor of Essex.” Indeed, looking up the road to London, the last thing on earth that we in Essex want is another Sadiq Khan.
Minister reply
I will put the right hon. Gentleman down as undecided.
Amanda Martin
Lab
Portsmouth North
Question
I welcome the Minister’s ambitious announcement and the opportunities that devolution could bring the people of Pompey, and I thank him and his team for the time that they have given Members of this House and for his offer of an open door. Portsmouth is one of the most densely populated parts of the country, so alongside the commitment to desperately needed affordable housing, will the Minister commit to using the English devolution Bill to empower my communities with the right to buy beloved community assets, such as empty shops, pubs and much-needed community spaces, to ensure that cities such as mine, and the people in them, feel the pride of ownership once again?
Minister reply
That is a good point. When we talk about important community assets, we see from an economic point of view that it is far better for them to be used and productive, but in the end we also recognise that they are hugely important to community identity and pride. In a lot of working-class areas, including Oldham, Chadderton and Royton, which I represent, the local civic building, local pub and local church are not just buildings but part of people’s story, and people really care about them.
Caroline Voaden
Lib Dem
South Devon
Question
Top-down reorganisation of a failing council such as Conservative-run Devon county council is a bit like shuffling the deck chairs on a sinking ship. We know that years of chronic underfunding have made it impossible for councils to fulfil their obligations, so I welcome the multi-year funding settlement. However, creating larger regional authorities does not devolve power; it shifts power and responsibility away from local communities to a distant, higher-tier authority that will feel remote to towns and parishes in places such as Devon. We must have the opportunity in May to pass our verdict on Conservative-run Devon county council, which has been failing our most vulnerable children for over a decade. Will the Minister assure me that those elections will go ahead as planned in 2025?
Minister reply
It would be rude to deny the good people of Devon a spat between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. But in all seriousness, it is for local areas to decide whether they want to apply to the Government to be part of the reorganisation programme. If we receive a request from that area, we will administer it in a fair way, as we would any other.
Steve Race
Lab
Exeter
Question
I welcome the huge opportunity in the White Paper for cities such as Exeter, which is also held back by Tory-run Devon county council—the upper-tier authority. Can the Minister confirm that devolution and reorganisation will work hand in hand to help Exeter, a key economic growth city, to retain, enhance and expand its historic self-governance, and to unleash its economic potential as an equal partner in a strategic authority?
Minister reply
Absolutely. One keenly felt problem with the previous devolution framework was that it did not have due regard for the role of district councils in primary cities, university cities and economic hubs. Reorganisation gives those places the ability to grow, become unitary authorities, and take their place in the new strategic authorities.
John Glen
Con
Salisbury
Question
Fifteen years ago, just before I joined this House, we saw the reorganisation of Wiltshire county council into the unitary Wiltshire council, and the abolition of several district councils. It seems that another reform in the heart of Wessex will be the probable outcome of these proposals for Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire. Can the Minister assure the people of Salisbury, who still have some difficulty accepting the abolition of Salisbury district council, that the proposed changes will be positive in terms of the combination of resources for strategic investment in transport and other such services?
Minister reply
In any local government reorganisation, there is always a fine balance between trying to create a cohesive new council and respecting the strong local identities that people feel—identities that are unique. When that is done right, the council can be confident in its own standing, because it knows that it is delivering outstanding services; when it is done wrong, it is trying to impose an identity on a place through the form of a council that does not reflect the local identity. For those of us in towns such as Oldham that went through the 1974 reorganisation, that is felt as keenly as in other areas, but that is not about the type of government; it is about culture and approach. When it is done well, it can work.
Adam Jogee
Lab
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Question
Pays tribute to district councillors in Newcastle-under-Lyme and agrees with the Minister's statement that 'we must end the top-down micromanaging.' However, he presses the Minister on who will ultimately decide on trade-offs when it comes to local identities, and asks when people will be able to have their say on these proposals.
Minister reply
The White Paper is about delivering a manifesto commitment of devolution. It is for local areas to determine what proposal they will submit to the Government rather than the other way around.
Alison Bennett
Lib Dem
Mid Sussex
Question
Welcomes the Minister's announcement and asks how these announcements do not impinge on previous ones made by his Department. She specifically mentions the challenges of reorganisation in Cumbria, asking how housing targets can be delivered during this period of uncertainty.
Minister reply
The changes are necessary early in the Parliament to ensure people see benefits towards its end.
John Slinger
Lab
Rugby
Question
As a member of Rugby borough council, asks how reforms can enhance people’s ability to hold public service leaders accountable through their elected representatives and exercise greater democratic control over such services.
Minister reply
The alignment of public service boundaries is critical for progress. Public sector reform and prevention are part of redesigning local public services around people, place and communities.
Thomas Tugendhat
Con
Tonbridge
Question
Welcomes the intention to reorganise local government but asks about priorities in the devolution priority plan regarding size, transport infrastructure or historical affiliations.
Minister reply
The balance is about size for efficiency through devolution and strategic authorities as well as how real economies are functioning.
Noah Law
Lab
St Austell and Newquay
Question
Asks the Minister to work with Cornwall council, town and parish councils, and others to ensure that pace and ambition for devolution are delivered on.
Minister reply
The local area should self-organise and come up with a proposal right for their area.
Ellie Chowns
Green
North Herefordshire
Question
Welcomes elements of the White Paper but notes that some are about concentration, expressing concerns over democratic deficits due to mayoral tiers replacing local tiers.
Minister reply
Strategic authorities take power from central Government and move it down to communities.
Luke Myer
Lab
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
Question
Welcomes the statement and White Paper but expresses concerns over responsible stewardship of public finances by strategic authorities.
Minister reply
There is a proposal to regularise the mayoral precept process for transparency, accountability and political accountability.
Karen Bradley
Con
Staffordshire Moorlands
Question
Asks the Minister to guarantee that decisions about devolution deals will not be forced upon residents against their will.
Minister reply
The White Paper is about distributing power from a centralising state to communities where it matters.
Peter Swallow
Lab
Bracknell
Question
Welcomes the Minister's recognition of unitary authorities and asks him to work with Bracknell Forest council on developing a plan that works for their community.
Minister reply
Committed to working in partnership, giving capacity and time to ensure local nuances are reflected.
Martin Vickers
Con
Brigg and Immingham
Question
The Minister has just concluded the Greater Lincolnshire devolution deal, which I welcome and support. As he will know, there were two unitary authorities in the north of the county and the rest is a two-tier system. Do the Government expect that two-tier area to come forward with proposals for unitary authorities? If so, may I remind him that the sparsity factor plays with Lincolnshire, and the target of 500,000 is far too high. Prior to 1974 there were three county councils to cover the whole county.
Minister reply
We do not have a proposal for reorganisation for Greater Lincolnshire, but that is not to say that conversations are not taking place locally about making a representation to Government. When that letter goes out later today, we expect areas that are currently not on our list will come forward on that basis. In the end, it is for local areas to determine what submission they want to make, but in terms of sparsity and having an anchor that makes sense, I completely understand the hon. Gentleman’s point.
Shadow Comment
David Simmonds
Shadow Comment
The Shadow Minister criticised the White Paper for being a top-down approach that undermines local democracy. He argued that it strips councillors of decision-making powers and imposes financial constraints, focusing on Whitehall targets rather than local needs. The Conservative MP pointed out issues such as the removal of elected councillors’ say on planning decisions despite failing housing targets, unclear timelines for mayoral elections, and the imposition of mayoral levies that could further burden local taxpayers. He also highlighted concerns about the potential financial risks associated with Great British Energy plans.
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