The English Devolution White Paper presents an ambitious vision for local government reform, aiming to empower local leaders and deliver better outcomes for communities across England. A key element of this vision is the expansion of mayoral combined authorities and the creation of unitary councils, which will simplify local government structures and give local leaders greater control over key decisions affecting their areas.  

The white paper also includes proposals for new funding models to support devolved powers and local investment. Mayoral combined authorities will receive increased financial autonomy, with more control over how they spend their budgets. Additionally, the government is exploring new ways to generate revenue for local authorities, such as through business rates retention and additional powers to raise local taxes. To simplify the funding system, the government plans to streamline the complex funding formulae that currently allocate funding to local authorities.

While the paper aims to extend devolution to all parts of England, including smaller areas, the focus on larger mayoral combined authorities raises concerns about the potential for smaller areas to be overlooked. The government proposes several strategies to address this, such as creating county deals and encouraging local partnerships. However, it remains to be seen how effective these measures will be in practice.

A key challenge in implementing devolution is ensuring that local leaders have the capacity and skills to effectively use their new powers. The government will need to invest in training and support for local leaders to help them develop the necessary expertise. Additionally, it is essential to establish robust accountability mechanisms to ensure that devolved powers are used responsibly and effectively.

The success of the devolution agenda will depend on a careful balance between central control and local autonomy. While greater local autonomy can empower communities and drive innovation, it is important to maintain a strong central government role to ensure consistency and fairness across the country.

The English Devolution White Paper presents a significant opportunity to empower local communities and improve public services. However, to realise its full potential, the government must carefully consider the needs of all areas, invest in local capacity, and establish strong accountability mechanisms.