Proxy We are seeking views on enabling elected members to use proxy voting – so that a member of a decision-making body may delegate their voting power to another representative to enable a vote in their absence, such as in cases when they are temporarily unable to participate in meetings due to personal circumstances for a limited period. Address publication Attracting high-quality elected officials also depends on making public office safe for prospective candidates. We propose to remove the requirements for a local government member’s home address to be published. Currently, councils may consider requests to remove home addresses from published lists but there is inconsistency in how councils choose to apply this provision. Publication of this personal information can risk members or their families being subject to violence and intimidation. We believe it should be put beyond doubt that councillors and Mayors do not need to declare their Devolution can only restore trust in politics if the public knows what their local leaders are empowered to deliver and are able to hold them to The current system of accountability and scrutiny is guided by the English Devolution Accountability Framework[footnote 49] and Scrutiny Protocol[footnote 50], which set out the requirements Strategic Authorities must meet on the use of the public money they receive and how council officers should undertake their duties. This includes having a Local Assurance Framework, maintaining standards in public life and ensuring value for money. Within the governance structures of Strategic Authorities themselves, it is a legal requirement to have an Oversight and Scrutiny Committee and an Audit Committee, and some also hold ‘Mayor’s Question Time’ sessions for the public and media to hold Mayors to account. 4/10/25, 5:12 PM English Devolution White Paper - GOV.UK 87/101 But it is right that, alongside our plans for a permanent shift of power from Westminster, there should also be a new system of accountability, as well as comprehensive action to build capacity in the sector. This is not about marking the sector’s homework. However, we will set out and measure progress on the key services and outcomes we expect Strategic Authorities to deliver, to be clearer on priorities and reduce micromanagement – so they can focus on serving, and being held to account by, their residents. 5.1.1 Integrated Settlement single accountability framework and The Integrated Settlements that Established Strategic Authorities are set to receive will be supported by a single streamlined accountability framework, rather than multiple frameworks administered by different departments. This single accountability framework will clarify the roles between the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government ‘system Accounting Officer’, the Accounting Officer of contributing departments, and the Chief Executive of the Mayoral Combined Authority, including interaction with scrutiny and Managing Public Money guidance. It will be incorporated into the English Devolution Accountability Framework[footnote 51]. The Integrated Settlement outcomes framework Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities will be held to account for the outcomes associated with their Integrated Settlement via an outcomes framework aligned to national missions, other national priorities and local economic concerns. The outcomes framework will provide a structured approach to defining, measuring and reporting on performance on Integrated Settlement delivery during the Spending Review period. The outcomes framework will identify the desired outcomes for assessing performance across the policy responsibilities devolved through the Integrated Settlement, as well as the indicators, outputs and targets that will be used to track progress in the Spending Review period. The primary objective of the outcomes framework[footnote 52] is to set outcome-based targets that are clear and transparent, so local and central government, as well as the public, know what the Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities are working to deliver with their Integrated Settlement. Provide a single, streamlined approach to accountability and reporting to Align local priorities and national priorities with Local Growth Plans as the

4/10/25, 5:12 PM English Devolution White Paper - GOV.UK 88/101 Become a scalable feature of the accountability landscape as devolution Monitor activity which can be genuinely influenced within the Integrated Settlements’ themes whilst moving away from existing programme and project-specific monitoring of inputs and outputs that central government Provide sufficient evidence to inform delivery performance within the 5.1.2 Improving accountability and scrutiny of local public spending We want to go further to ensure residents can be confident that their Strategic Authority is well-governed and making best use of every pound. Overview and Scrutiny Committees will remain vital elements of the oversight of Strategic Authorities, providing challenge and scrutiny on decision-making. But to go further we will work with the sector to A review of the Scrutiny Protocol to ensure that the guidance is reflective of these changes and is driving improvements to the standard of scrutiny in Strategic Authorities as we deepen devolution[footnote 53]. How to improve external scrutiny of value for money on local public spending, including exploring a Local Public Accounts Committee model alongside reforms to local audit where we will review how the audit system supports and provides external assurance. How to ensure the oversight and transparency of decision making and activity conducted by the bodies that Strategic Authorities establish. How to clarify lines of accountability, including through creating a local single point of accountability for value for money, exploring models such as Local Accounting Officers to enhance the accountability of Strategic Authorities, or improved roles and responsibilities and further statutory duties and functions to deliver. Ensuring the system of stewardship, as it applies to Strategic Authorities, is operating as effectively as it can, including the case for setting up an annual conversation with each area to allow a clearer understanding of the connections between different funding streams and local priorities. Local press and media play a crucial role ensuring decision making at local level is accountable to the people they serve and not just to national government. The sustainability of local journalism is an area of particular concern for this government.
Our vision is a thriving sector that can continue to play an invaluable role by reporting on the issues that matter to communities, helping counter disinformation locally by being a source of trustworthy information, and keeping communities informed about local issues and decision making. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport will shortly develop a local media strategy. As part of that strategy, we will explore whether there is more that local authorities can do to support

4/10/25, 5:12 PM English Devolution White Paper - GOV.UK 89/101 the vital role that local media plays, for example through increased openness in providing local journalists with access to information. Strategic and local authorities need support to build capacity in key areas, while new Strategic Authorities, and those exploring new devolution arrangements, will be supported to succeed. 5.2.1 Capacity and sector representation Our support offer will help new and established Strategic Authorities deliver for their areas. We will work across government to bring this together and provide a comprehensive offer, Capacity The government will work with local authorities and Strategic Authorities to consider the best way to provide resource funding to Strategic Authorities such as via the Local Government Finance Settlement. This will be guided by the principle that there is a consistent approach to the powers and responsibilities of Strategic Authorities, in line with the Devolution Framework. Where a Strategic Authority takes on powers which are currently funded outside the Local Government Finance Settlement or the integrated settlements, such as Mayoral Capacity Funding, MHCLG will work with the relevant department or organisation to explore funding this through these routes. Subject to Spending Review decisions, new Strategic Authorities will continue to receive Mayoral Capacity Funding to kickstart their organisations and we will also review how Mayoral Capacity Funding is calculated and ensure any changes are consistent with the Devolution Framework. We will introduce a secondment scheme between central government and Strategic Authorities, which will include facilitating the placement of civil servants in Strategic Authority officer roles, including Boosting Mayoral and officer capacity to deliver through a capacity building offer to better support strategic leadership, peer-to-peer support and sharing best practice on innovation – working with Mayoral Combined Authorities to ensure that it is properly targeted and aligns with existing initiatives. We will join up with others, and learn from them on this, where it makes sense to do so. Initiatives such as Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Government Innovation program provide great examples of how this has been done successfully, where support has been offered to build local capacity for innovation, data use and place-based leadership. The government will work alongside Bloomberg Philanthropies and others to build a capacity support offer that will help our local leaders deliver results. 4/10/25, 5:12 PM English Devolution White Paper - GOV.UK 90/101 We will also work to ensure sector representation. Through the UK Mayors Network, Strategic Authorities already work together to provide a cohesive voice to the government, by providing an important coordinating function between mayoralties. As we further extend devolution across the country, it is key that the sector continues to have a strong representative function. We will work with these bodies as well as the Local Government Association Our ambition to place the right powers in the right places will require working across regions where a larger geographic scale is needed to coordinate on strategic issues. This work has been undertaken to date by pan-regional partnerships, which have provided areas of strong leadership, However, as an increasing part of England is represented through Mayors and Combined Authorities, it is right for those elected representatives to lead regional collaboration. Therefore, moving forward, the government intends to support Mayors in collaborating at pan-regional level and creating convening bodies whose purpose, priorities and membership are decided at a regional level, and working with existing regional organisations such as Sub-National Transport bodies. The government will support mayoral-led partnerships, such as the ‘Great North’ partnership of Northern Mayors, to convene regional public and private sector partners to promote a region internationally, develop investable propositions in key sectors and align trade, investment, major infrastructure and land use issues. Such bodies could also coordinate major cultural and sporting activities, recognising the opportunity to scale up across wider areas. The public have the right to expect that Strategic Authorities have access to the expertise they need, that they work with business, and that Mayors are working full time to deliver for them. Strategic Authorities will need a leadership team who can drive policy forward across the responsibilities of the Authority and represent it externally. In Mayoral Strategic Authorities there will be critical new functions to undertake, including Local Growth Plans and Spatial Development Strategies, representation on local and national bodies, and joint working with national and local partners. It is not realistic to expect a Mayor to do all of this. The Mayor of London’s Deputy Mayors is one model for how work can be delegated successfully. In many Combined Authorities, board members have taken on portfolios to help drive the authority’s agenda, and the government will explore how to better recognise their In addition, the government will legislate so that Mayors are able to appoint and remunerate ‘Commissioners’ who would be able to support the delivery

4/10/25, 5:12 PM English Devolution White Paper - GOV.UK 91/101 of key functions. They would not be members of the Strategic Authority, and the roles would be expected to reflect the areas of competence, such as a Transport Commissioner. If they choose to appoint them, Mayors will determine the portfolios of the Commissioners that are right for their authorities. In certain circumstances, the government envisages that Mayors may be able to delegate functions exercisable by the mayor to a Commissioner. These do not replace the approach taken by many Combined Authorities to allocate political lead portfolios to members of the Strategic Authority, usually leaders of constituent councils, but are intended to complement the approach with additional capacity or specialisms.
Where a Mayor is the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner they will continue to be able to appoint a Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime to provide leadership to the ‘blue lights’ services and build effective co- working with local authorities and probation services to take back our Working in partnership with business Over the past year, the integration of functions formerly exercised by Local Enterprise Partnerships into local authorities and Combined Authorities has advanced significantly. Many Combined Authorities now host Business Boards, putting the voice of local business at the heart of local decision making. For example, in South Yorkshire, the Mayor’s Advisory Business Board brings together Chambers of Commerce, trade unions and small and large businesses in order to shape joint thinking on the region’s economic future. We will continue to work with Strategic Authorities to ensure that business voice continues to play an important role. Letting Mayors focus wholly on their region The post of Mayor is a significant role at the forefront of delivering change. It demands the full attention of any post holder. In that context, the government will introduce proposals limiting individuals from holding the office of Member of Parliament and Mayor simultaneously, as is already the case for Mayors who are the Police and Crime Commissioner for their area. Delivering the change of this permanent shift of power needs to start now. So we are setting out how we will deliver, and how we will engage with local leaders to ensure they can deliver what the country needs. 4/10/25, 5:12 PM English Devolution White Paper - GOV.UK 92/101 6.1 Implementing the agreed devolution deals and Since July, devolution agreements for regional Mayors have been finalised with Greater Lincolnshire and with Hull & East Yorkshire. We have agreed to establish Combined County Authorities in both Devon & Torbay and Lancashire, and are progressing four foundation non-mayoral Single Local Authority devolution agreements with Cornwall Council, Buckinghamshire Council, Warwickshire County Council, and Surrey County Council, subject to further statutory tests being met. The new Combined County Authorities in Devon & Torbay and Lancashire will receive powers to improve the integration of local transport and control of local transport functions and the ability to exercise compulsory purchase powers to help drive regeneration. They will also receive devolved adult skills funding from academic year 2026/2027. Mayors will be elected in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull & East Yorkshire – the last part of Yorkshire to be covered by a devolution deal – in May 2025. In addition to control over transport and skills, Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire will receive significant investment to shape the future of their area - including mayoral investment funds, mayoral capacity funding and capital funding for building new homes and to drive place-based With this in mind, the Deputy Prime Minister invited places without devolution agreements to come forward with proposals for their areas in July 2024, with the process closing in September. There was a very positive response from across England, which gives an initial indication of where local consensus is growing around preferred geographies. As we progress to the next stage we intend to group areas at similar stages of progress, prioritising those minded to work towards mayoral models of devolution. We will invite a number of places to join our Devolution Priority Programme. This will be for certain places that are able to come together under sensible geographies which meet the criteria, and where they are ready to achieve mayoral devolution at pace. This programme will aim to deliver institutions and have Mayors elected in the May 2026 elections, and provide certain places with the full backing of government to deliver to these ambitious timescales. Places will be able to further strengthen their voices and agency in deciding what is right for their areas, including accessing the new powers in our revised Devolution Framework and ultimately taking their seat at the Council of the Nations and Regions. 4/10/25, 5:12 PM English Devolution White Paper - GOV.UK 93/101 The government will announce the areas included in the Devolution Priority 6.2 Upgrading the powers of Mayors We have already announced at the 2024 Autumn Budget that Mayors in West Yorkshire, the North East, Liverpool City Region, and South Yorkshire will join those in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands in being granted a full Integrated Settlement from next year. We will work with these areas to ensure they can access the non-statutory elements of the new Devolution Framework as soon as possible, and to support them to be ready for the passage of the additional statutory powers into law. We will also engage with other Mayoral Strategic Authorities looking to demonstrate they qualify for ‘Established Mayoral’ status to help them demonstrate they are ready. We have also committed to update the Devolution Framework over time. We will also consider proposals raised with us at the Mayoral Council from existing and new Mayoral Strategic Authorities ahead of the Devolution Bill getting Royal Assent. We will encourage and facilitate Strategic Authorities working together with Arm’s Length Bodies, third party providers and government departments where necessary in the use of their Devolution Framework functions. 6.3 Delivering the English Devolution Bill We will bring forward an English Devolution Bill. The Bill will deliver the government’s manifesto commitment and vision set out in this White Paper, by transferring power out of Westminster to those who know their areas best. The Bill will provide local leaders the power to take back control, recognising the vital role local leaders play in our mission to drive economic growth. It will also enable our towns and cities to thrive by strengthening mayoral powers, giving local leaders the tools to kickstart their economies, and communities the power to transform their neighbourhoods and high Enshrining the new ambitious Devolution Framework in statute, giving local leaders control over new levers of growth.
This will include enhanced powers over strategic planning, local transport networks, skills and employment support, enabling them to create jobs and improve living

4/10/25, 5:12 PM English Devolution White Paper - GOV.UK 94/101 Moving to systematic devolution, by making it easier to grant new powers. The government will be able to add functions to the statutory framework by statutory instrument following consultation with Mayoral Strategic Authorities. Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities will also be able to make formal proposals on an annual basis for functions to be added to which the government is required to respond. Providing devolved powers more easily and quickly through establishing a simpler process for creating new Combined and Combined County Authorities to ensure that every part of England can rapidly Improving and unlocking local decision-making through more effective governance arrangements, ensuring Mayors and Combined Authorities can deliver for their areas. Empowering communities to revamp high streets and end the blight of empty premises with a strong new ‘Right to Buy’ for valued community 6.4 Engaging with the sector on detail of our reforms We will work with key stakeholders on next steps. 1. Identify a set of jointly agreed shared priorities, which will guide action and collaboration in delivering their statutory requirement to 2. Establish the Mayoral Data Council, bringing together data leads from across central and local government, to review and implement the data 3. Set up a new working group with the Greater London Authority to compare the powers and policy approaches of other global city authorities We will target engagement with Mayors and Strategic Authorities to shape how we deliver our reforms 1. New freedoms for local and strategic authorities, on removing the requirements for Secretary of State consent they are required to seek on use of their powers and byelaws. 2. The areas of competence for Strategic Authorities and how these are supported by the powers to deliver against them. 3. How best to reflect devolution into our policymaking, where these are appropriate for local delivery and in their areas of competency. This

4/10/25, 5:12 PM English Devolution White Paper - GOV.UK 95/101 includes feeding back proposals, developing our ambition for public sector boundary realignment, and how we can ensure Non-Departmental Public Bodies and Arm’s Length Bodies build in Local Growth Plans and Spatial Development Strategies to their work. 4. The future of the Scrutiny Protocol to continue to improve the standards of scrutiny locally. 5. How to deliver external scrutiny of value for money of local public spending, particularly where freedoms and flexibilities of the Integrated Settlement are being utilised. The wider reform of audit will include consideration of how to support and provide external assurance on this. 6. Considering a single point of accountability for value for money, exploring Local Accounting Officers and Local Public Accounts Committees models to enhance the accountability of Strategic Authorities. 7. Considering how to ensure transparency and oversight of decision- making and activity conducted by the bodies that Strategic 8. Boosting capacity support for institutions, looking at what would best 9. Delivering data reform, developing a comprehensive vision for local 10. Effective voting arrangements for strategic planning. Work with local authorities and the wider local government sector 1. Identify where we can provide more freedoms for local authorities to use powers without central approval. 2. Develop proposals to improve support and development for councillors, as well as addressing barriers to attracting and retaining 3. Consult on local government standards. 4. Set out our vision for radically simplifying the local audit system, including our intention to establish a new body for local audit. We will engage with key stakeholders on a separate document, which will set out 5. Establish a local government workforce development group, run in partnership with the sector, to identify practical solutions to workforce 6. Work with individual areas on local government reorganisation, inviting proposals from all remaining two-tier areas and those unitary councils where there is evidence of failure or their size or boundaries may be hindering their ability to deliver sustainable and high-quality services to their residents. We will facilitate delivery of an ambitious first wave of reorganisation in this Parliament.