Concerns have been raised over the Government's use of its strategic planning agenda to speed up decisions around devolution in areas that have yet decide on their plans.
Last week ministers launched a consultation on proposed new spatial development strategy (SDSs) areas to oversee sub regional strategic infrastructure and housing plans.
Of these 20 are based on existing strategic authority (SA) and devolution priority areas.
The remaining areas are being invited to set up foundation strategic authorities (FSAs), which are expected to cover the same boundaries as SDSs.
For nine of these areas, where there is a consensus over devolution, the Government has mapped out potential SDS geographies.
But in 11 areas with no local consensus on devolution, largely in the West Midlands and West of England, councils are expected to come together to submit potential SDS boundaries.
In a letter to council leaders the Government confirmed SDSs are ‘an opportunity to agree the shape of devolution geographies',
This is despite housing and planning minister Matthew Pennycook conceding to MPs last week that agreement in some areas ‘is tenuous or lacking entirely'.
The Government's consultation ends on 26 March.
Akash Paun, programme director at think-tank Institute for Government fears ‘there is going to be pushback' to develop SDSs in areas with no agreement on devolution.
These areas may not make any progress ‘for a few years', he warned.
Cornwall and Devon are among areas with no consensus on devolution ‘where it would make sense to Whitehall that linking them is the right thing' but due to different local identities ‘you can't just bung things together', warned Gill Morris, executive chair of lobbyists Devo Agency.
Another is Gloucestershire, where opinion is mixed over whether to link up with areas to the north of the county or West of England Combined Authority to the south.
But Gloucester City Council managing director Jon McGinty said that the West of England CA ‘doesn't want anything to do with Gloucestershire for the next few years' as it is currently ‘focused on North Somerset joining'.
Meanwhile, County Councils Network devolution spokesperson Cllr Anne Handley was critical of a ‘two-speed approach to devolution' with a ‘watered down commitment' on devolved powers and funding for FSA areas.
Areas without a devolution consensus that have not been allocated ‘appropriate SDS geographies':
- North Northamptonshire
- West Northamptonshire
- Warwickshire
- Worcestershire
- Gloucestershire
- Shropshire
- Herefordshire
- Telford & Wrekin
- Cornwall
- Devon and Torbay
- Plymouth
