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The Government was this week facing hurdles as it races to complete the devolution map across England by the end of 2028.Last week Cabinet ministers Louise Haigh and Angela Rayner fired the starting gun as they wrote a joint letter to all areas not yet covered by a strategic authority.The letter said ministers will ‘begin working with local authorities over the summer to agree the future arrangements' and announcements for the ‘next wave of strategic authorities' will start from next month.It said talks would begin ‘immediately' with areas that have already had discussions with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as the department seeks by the end of this month to understand whether areas want to adopt a mayor.The letter added: ‘For other local authorities outside of strategic authorities where conversations on devolution have not happened in recent months, there will be more to work through, and we are committed to taking that journey with you.'However, regions have already started to fracture as councils disagree on whether to form foundation authorities or push for mayoral models with a ‘commensurately greater suite of powers'.Central Bedfordshire Council previously declined an offer from Keir Starmer's government to form a foundation strategic authority with Milton Keynes City Council and Bedford and Luton BCs.Leader Cllr Adam Zerny said the proposal did not provide ‘sufficient benefits to local residents for this to be in our interests for the time being' and expressed concerns it would not have the ‘weight to compete' with authorities such as Greater Manchester.Cllr Tim Bearder, leader of Oxfordshire CC, which has rejected Government proposals for a non-mayoral Thames Valley foundation strategic authority with Berkshire councils and Swindon BC because it would lack ‘powers, funding and coherent geography', claimed reorganisation had added another barrier to devolution.Writing to Prime Minister Andy Burnham last month, Cllr Bearder said: ‘We do not believe that ambition [for devolution] can be delivered effectively if Oxfordshire is divided into three separate authorities at the same time as the region is seeking to build scale, strategic capacity, clear accountability and strong regional leadership.'The Government's devolution drive has prompted Hampshire and the Solent to call for its mayoral elections to be brought forward.Chair of the Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority board, Cllr Nick Adams-King, said: ‘Hampshire and the Solent should not be left waiting an additional year to benefit fully from these important reforms.'

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DEVOLUTION

Devolution race exposes divisions over mayor question

By Martin Ford | 13 August 2026

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