Reorganisation, local government and the future of English Devolution
The English Devolution white paper, published in December 2024, set in motion a chain of events raising a series of fundamental questions about the arguments underpinning it.
In a short report from Emeritus Professors of local government, Colin Copus and Steve Leach – the first in Localis’s new series of ‘Other Ideas’ – which will feature occasional long-form essays on topical place-policy issues. some major issues of concern were identified, including:
- those which raise the constitutional issues in the white paper;
- a lack of substance and justification regarding the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) elements of the white paper and its tenuous connection with devolution;
- the inconsistencies in the potential impact of the white paper throughout England;
- the discrepancies between England and other European countries in relation to the size, composition and justification for local authorities;
- and, how Whitehall’s long-term policy agenda, rarely explicit, has consistently sought opportunities for reorganisation.
Professors Copus and Leach provide a thorough analysis of the short and long-term history of English local government reform, placing the new drive for unitary authorities in this context.
According to their calculations, if new unitary authorities in two-tier areas have populations of half-a-million then councillor numbers will decrease from around 12,000 to 1,200, placing considerable strains and unsustainable workloads on remaining councillors.
The essay can be downloaded here: “Reorganisation, local government and the future of English Devolution”
Watch the policy debate on catch-up here: