Background - Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation
The English Devolution White Paper was published on 16 December 2024.
It sets out further details on the Government’s intentions for devolution and local government reorganisation, aiming to devolve more responsibilities from Whitehall to local areas and making local authority structures more efficient and accountable. It makes it clear that their interest in devolution is for it to be accompanied by a directly elected mayor.
Councils were asked to write to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) by 10 January if they wish to proceed with devolution, reorganisation, and to request postponement of their local elections next year.
In Essex, this is a joint letter from the Leaders of Essex County Council, Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council. All three councils held council meetings during week commencing Monday 6 January 2025 to take part in a debate and vote on the proposal.
The following proposal was agreed by all three councils to submit to government:
- commit to take part in devolution priority programme which would see a mayoral county combined authority established in April 2026 and a mayoral election take place in May 2026
- commit to local government reorganisation, with initial plans submitted in the spring and final plans by Autumn 2025
- request the secretary of state to postpone the council’s 2025 elections for an initial period of one year.
Essex County Council, Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council wrote to the government and on 5 February 2025, it was announced by the government that Greater Essex was accepted onto the Devolution Priority Programme. They were also granted permission to postpone elections for an initial period of one year, though this is likely to be extended.
The government also agreed Essex, Southend and Thurrock’s request to commit to explore local government reorganisation (LGR) alongside devolution.