Frequently asked questions about Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation
The Government believes that devolution over a large area, at the same time as local government reorganisation (LGR), can boost the economy and deliver better public services. They think that simpler local government structures will: Devolution is about transferring powers and funding from government to local areas. This gives them powers and funding that they don't currently have. LGR aims to simplify and reduce the number of councils across the country. It will create larger unitary councils, which means: Unitary councils are responsible for all council services in an area. Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock are examples of a small unitary council. Greater Essex refers to the combined area represented by Essex County Council, Southend-on-Sea City Council, and Thurrock Council. The Devolution Priority Programme is for areas aiming to move towards devolution quickly. It is aimed at areas wishing to establish a Mayoral Combined County Authority. The Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution has outlined that participants must have local agreement to progress around a sensible geographical area. A Strategic Authority is a legal body set up using national legislation, with its own board and governance arrangements. This would enable a group of two or more councils to collaborate and make collective decisions across council boundaries. Depending on the form of devolution in an area, there are three levels of Strategic Authority available: The UK government is looking to create a Mayoral Combined County Authority for Greater Essex by May 2026. A Mayoral Combined County Authority (MCCA) is a local government body that enables two or more county councils and unitary councils to work together and make decisions on issues which affect the whole county. The MCCA would have a directly elected Mayor, who chairs the combined authority. Groups of councils in an area can reach a devolution agreement with the Government on how powers and funding will be handed down to them. Devolution agreements also set out: In the Braintree district, the same council services would still be provided, but by a newly formed and larger unitary authority. This new council would cover a wider area than just the Braintree district. It would be one of several newly formed authorities in Greater Essex, replacing: The shape of a new local government structure in Greater Essex is yet to be determined. The Government invited the councils in Greater Essex to submit a proposal for how we could reorganise current structures. The initial interim proposals for LGR were submitted to Government in March. Feedback has been provided by government on these interim proposals which you can read here. Central government will review the proposal and decide later this year. At this stage, there is no confirmation of how many councils there will be in the future. Along with partners, we will be gathering evidence to inform the final business cases. These will be shared with government in September. During the process our focus remains on delivering essential services across the whole of the Braintree district. For devolution, a new Mayoral Strategic Authority for the whole of Greater Essex would be created to receive greater powers and funding from central government. This strategic authority would be responsible for issues such as: The government consulted on devolution for Greater Essex which closed on 13 April. You can find out more here. We await more information following this consultation from government. If Essex gets a devolution agreement with the Government, a mayoral combined county authority would be set up in April 2026, and a mayoral election would be held in May 2026. Read the latest FAQ from Essex County Council: Read the latest news from Essex County Council: We have to submit: The timeline for the full process depends on the Government's decisions about the proposals they receive. If our proposals are agreed, elections to a new shadow unitary authority could be expected in May 2027. This will follow public consultation in 2025/2026. New unitary authorities could go fully live in April 2028. Yes. The Government ran a public consultation on devolution in Greater Essex from 17 February until 13 April 2025. Later in the year, the Government will run a public consultation on LGR in Greater Essex, as required to by law. The main difference lies in their scope of responsibilities and the level of governance they would oversee. A directly elected Mayor in a Mayoral Combined County Authority has a broader role that typically covers multiple local councils within a Combined or Strategic Authority. The directly elected Mayor would have significant powers over strategic functions such as: For example, in Essex the elected Mayor would also serve as the Police, Fire, and Crime Commissioner. The Mayor would make strategic decisions, help attract investment and improve infrastructure. On the other hand, a Mayor for a local council is responsible for the governance of a single local authority. The mayor's powers are more focused on the day-to-day administration and local services within that specific council area. They work closely with the council to implement policies and manage local services such as: The key difference is that a Mayor in a Mayoral Combined County Authority has a wider, more strategic role that spans multiple councils. Local council Mayors focus on the governance and services within a single local authority. Braintree District Council does not have a Mayor. The UK government believes that within Strategic Authorities, Mayors should have a unique role to focus on devolved responsibilities. Council leaders are expected to lead their areas and deliver essential services. After devolution is agreed, but before LGR takes place, we will continue to work as we currently do. After LGR has taken place, the new unitary councils will work with the new mayoral combined county authority to use the powers and funding they received from devolution to make public services better. Read more about Combined Authorities in the LGA's publication. This will be part of our LGR proposal. Devolution and LGR create opportunities to transform and improve services. We will prioritise the delivery of high-quality public services to the local community. The English Devolution White Paper explains what jobs and responsibilities local elected leaders, especially mayors, will have. This is in relation to how they will help their areas grow and improve services. The main areas they will focus on are: Making plans for: Making plans for: Improving: These areas might be expanded in the future.
Why is devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) being proposed?
How is devolution different from LGR?
What is Greater Essex?
What is the Devolution Priority Programme?
What is a Strategic Authority?
What is a Mayoral Combined Authority?
What is a devolution agreement?
What would devolution and LGR mean for the Braintree district?
What's the timeline for devolution?
What's the timeline for LGR?
Do residents have a say in this?
What is the role of a directly elected Mayor in a Mayoral Combined County Authority compared to a local council Mayor?
What is the role of Mayors compared to council leaders?
How does the introduction of a Combined County Authority affect local councils?
How will the council's services be delivered in the future?
What new powers will the Braintree district receive from devolution?
Transport and local infrastructure
Skills and employment support
Housing and strategic planning
Economic development and regeneration
Environment and climate change
Health, wellbeing, and public service reform
Public safety