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The government, and particularly deputy prime minister and housing, communities and local government secretary Angela Rayner, has promised to transfer a slew of new powers away from Westminster, including in policy areas such as transport, planning and skills.
Labour hopes doing so will kickstart the UK’s sluggish economic growth.
Rayner and Keir Starmer met with England’s existing regional mayors last week to signal their intentions, and the former has now written to all leaders of county and unitary authorities that do not have a devolution deal inviting them to explore taking on new powers.
Cotswold District Council leader and group leader of the Local Government Association Liberal Democrat group Cllr Joe Harris said on social media: “Sidelining district councils – meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”
The District Councils’ Network said it should have a place at the table.
“We want to see devolution to all places. The key is for devolution to empower the local leaders who know their places best and to be flexible to each area’s unique circumstances,” said chairman Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen.
“District councils play a vital role in creating jobs, building homes, improving economic opportunity, addressing skills shortages and tackling inequalities. Our uniquely localised understanding of the economies of our towns and cities gives us a longstanding track record of attracting investment and makes us well placed to help deliver the government’s national growth mission.”
Chapman-Allen pointed out that Labour voted to support districts being given a constituent role in new devolution deals while in opposition.
“We look forward to positive discussions with the deputy prime minister about how we can put this principle at the heart of a new wave of devolution that will bring jobs, growth, housing and prosperity to the communities we all serve,” he said.
In her letter, publicised by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government as heralding “a new devolution revolution”, Rayner argued that Westminster has held too much control over all parts of the country.
“I want to work with more places to help them use [their potential] enhanced powers and role, because I want to drive growth in every part of the country,” she wrote.
Cllr Tim Oliver, chairman of the County Councils Network, said the move shows the government “is serious about continuing the progress over the past two years” and urged it to use counties as “the building blocks” for organising new deals.
“We welcome the announcement that the government will continue with the county combined authority model that helped unlock the devolution logjam, and a new framework must be focused on expanding the current range of powers on offer to local areas, rather than ripping up the process and starting fresh,” he said.