Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has kicked off a huge rewiring of public service reform with the launch of the devolution White Paper in Leeds.
The White Paper includes an overhaul of two-tier local government, large-scale devolution, an audit rethink – scrapping the Office for Local Government – and widespread introduction of place-based public sector budgets.
In a radical rethink of local government, the White Paper will create mayoral authorities across the country, and scrap district and county councils in favour of unitary local government. Small unitaries will also be scrapped in a bid to make local government more financially stable.
There will be a ‘phased approach' to reorganisation, focusing on areas keen to move quickly or where it can address wider failings, with the first wave expected in the current parliament.
While most areas are expected to cover population sizes of around 500,000, the while paper claims there ‘may be exceptions to ensure new structures make sense for an area, including for devolution, and decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Sources close to the White Paper have suggested to The MJ there may be some wriggle room, with geographies down to 350,000 where necessary.
On devolution, the push for combined authorities across the country will continue, with the first tranches expected to include Essex, Kent, Surrey, Hampshire, Lancashire and Norfolk and Suffolk. Combined authorities are expected to blanket who of England, with ministers reserving powers to force structures where there is no agreement.
County elections will be postponed in areas set for reorganisation and mayoral deals.
Combined authorities will get a single settlement, and a wider rewiring of public services – including place based public service budgets – will be included.
The White Paper will also include proposals to fix the audit and standards system, following the proposals of Sir Tony Redmond and scrapping the last Government's Office for Local Government.
