Devolution: A bumpy ride down the tracks

Local government has seen so many politicians over so many years promising real devolution and so many hopes dashed as devo pledges dribble away. Yet finally it really is happening as the ‘fiscal roadmap' promises. And now the difficult part begins.The Government has set out its aspirations but with no guidance as to how relationships between the tiers, local and regional, should work or indeed how to ensure the new strategic bodies do not descend into petty party politics and shambolic governance.There are two big challenges in my view for local government itself arising from English devolution. The first is to ensure the new strategic/mayoral authorities (SAs) have the capacity, the infrastructure and sensible politics to deliver the ambitious agenda allocated to them.Last month's Budget to some extent recognised the capacity issue with its £150m pot effective from next April.Should the SAs be seen as part of local government? The answer is yes. Should they be encouraged to ‘join the family'? Again, yes with open arms, and this will help address the other major challenge for SAs, their lack of capacity and longevity.The £150m for ‘capacity and capability funding' will help ‘local leaders' to ‘begin building the resource and expertise required to manage greater powers, fiscal devolution and Good Growth Funds' as the Budget stated.But there is still a question over the governance capability of some of the strategic bodies with several having received best value notices and this occurring before the new wave are up and running.Weaknesses identified include lack of constitutional clarity, poor financial oversight and party political dogma.The second big challenge is to ensure the new bodies do not become remote from, and even in conflict with, the local authorities within their remit.Anecdotally, many insiders have expressed concern to me that the SAs regard themselves as outside the local government family. They are certainly part of local governance, but do they see themselves as part of local government?The answer is probably in the negative and this will be exacerbated when civil servants, still steeped in Whitehall and on civil service terms and conditions, are transferred.Should the SAs be seen as part of local government? The answer is yes. Should they be encouraged to ‘join the family'? Again, yes with open arms, and this will help address the other major challenge for SAs, their lack of capacity and longevity.Local government, which has the infrastructure, can help establish the new SAs.However there are concerns, assuming it continues albeit in an emasculated form, that local government reorganisation will mean local government itself is pre-occupied with creating the new unitaries at the same time the SAs are also being established.Let us not underestimate the potential for conflict between the two tiers. There will be political differences, competition for resources and fiscal powers – we are already seeing that with the tourist tax – and rows over new housing.There is already concern over the calibre of some of the mayors. It will be disheartening if the new SAs descend into petty and parochial political infighting.But the principle remains that decisions about economic development, transport, housing, skills and infrastructure should be made at a regional or sub-regional level while councils deliver vital frontline services and respond to local needs. These are the clear lines of responsibility.A partnership of equals between SAs and councils can strengthen both tiers rather than be rivals for resources and powers. As Burnham himself showed as mayor of Greater Manchester, an empowered strategic body representing both itself and its councils can have far greater influence in central government than the individual councils alone.In practice, we are likely to see a patchwork quilt when it comes to co-operation between the tiers, working well in some areas – like Greater Manchester obviously – but not so well in others.Difficulties will arise in areas of political differences and where councils feel the new bodies have been imposed. There will be rows over allocation of funding and in controversial areas like housing and planning where local plans come up against a strategic body's priority to push through development.If the new bodies see themselves not as partners to councils, but as overseers, then relationships will sour.But these are dangers rather than absolutes. If local and regional government can together take the higher ground, regard each other as partners, leave party politics at the door and by working together negotiate better deals with Whitehall, then devolution will be a success.

Title

DEVOLUTION

Devolution: A bumpy ride down the tracks

By Michael Burton | 10 November 2026

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