Tag Archives: Devolution

Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

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Essex Flag

Yesterday, the Deputy Prime Minister announced that Essex would be one of the County Councils in the first phase of the proposed Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

The Government has stated their intention that all County Councils would undergo similar reorganisation during the life of this parliament.

As part of the first phase Essex should have more influence on how the future unitary councils would be structured. Later phases would have their reforms enforced.

The new structure would create (probably) three or four ‘unitary’ councils instead of the current fifteen district and county councils, plus a ‘Mayor of Essex’ to be elected in May ‘26.

The Mayor would be able to request funding directly from the government and bring huge benefits to infrastructure, jobs, skills, transport and planning.

The decision to postpone County Council elections was also made by HM Government. Had the elections continued, then councillors would be unable to take part in any discussions and negotiations due to the ‘pre-election’ legal restrictions.

The decision to seek early LGR was agreed by all Essex’s district and unitary councils; it wasn’t taken lightly, it was a question of seeking to get the best outcome for residents from the Government, rather than having their solution forced on us.

Devolution (again)

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Further to last month’s post, at an extraordinary meeting of Essex County Council this morning (January 10th), the Council voted to write to the Secretary of State to request that Essex (along with Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk) be considered in the first tranche of new devolution projects.

The current (2025) map of Essex

The current (2025) map of Essex

This would involve the disbanding of the County Council, the two unitary authorities – Southend and Thurrock – and the county’s twelve borough, city and district councils.

It is expected that the result would be up to four new unitary authorities and an over-arching mayoral authority, headed by an elected ‘Mayor of Essex’.

This would be the biggest change to local government since the current system was created in the mid nineteen seventies.

If the Secretary of State agrees, then the negotiations would need to commence in March, which would normally be part of the ‘pre-election’ period for May’s County Council elections, so it may be that these will be postponed – initially for a year.

Happy New Year 2025

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This year could be a game-changer, with County Council elections scheduled for May 1st.
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However, these may be delayed if the government’s plans for Local Government reform come forward.
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That’s not undemocratic, the cost and disruption that elections would create, would delay the reform process.
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The government’s White Paper on English devolution and Local Government reform – published in December – presents an exciting opportunity for Essex. It opens the door to greater local control, streamlined services, and the ability to shape decisions that reflect the unique needs of our communities.
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It represents the biggest change to the structure of local authorities since the early nineteen seventies.
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For too long, many decisions impacting Essex have been made in Westminster. Devolution could bring more power closer to the people, giving us the tools to drive real change – whether it’s improving infrastructure, boosting local businesses, or tackling issues like housing and transport.
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Of course, change comes with challenges. It’s important we ensure that local voices remain at the heart of any new system and that our communities don’t lose the close, responsive representation they rely on.
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The various District Councils around our County have already confirmed their support for the process, and Essex County Council will debate the proposal on Friday January 10th.
Residents will be able to view the debate on the County Council’s YouTube channel.
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If the County Council agrees, then the Leader of the Council will write to HM Government to express their interest in embracing the principles of devolution, and to postpone May’s elections.
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This is a chance to strengthen Essex for the future, and I’m optimistic about what we can achieve if we get it right.

Devolution

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Last week the Government published its long-awaited white paper on devolution and local government reform.
If the plans proceed as detailed, every area of England will have a directly elected mayor who will take on the responsibilities of Police, Fire, and Crime Commissioners, which are currently standalone positions.
Furthermore, District and county councils would be disbanded to make way for new unitary councils, which is already the case in many country areas.
Local leaders have until mid-January to submit proposals to the Government; previously, Essex has explored the creation of between three and five unitary councils.

Subject to the progress and speed with which these discussions take place, the Government has also said that the county council elections timetabled for May 2025 might be postponed to aid the transition to unitary councils and ensure fresh elections to these new authorities take place as quickly as possible.

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There’s a link to the Government white paper here.