Devolution Priority Programme 

On 5 February 2025 the areas that were selected for the Devolution Priority Programme were announced. Six out of the 11 areas which expressed an interest were chosen:  

• Cheshire and Warrington (Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council, and Warrington Borough Council) 
• Cumbria (Cumberland Council, Westmorland and Furness Council) 
• Hampshire and the Solent (Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council, Isle of Wight Council, Southampton City Council) 
• Greater Essex (Essex County Council, Thurrock Council, Southend-on-Sea City Council) 
• Norfolk and Suffolk (Norfolk County Council, Suffolk County Council) 
• Sussex and Brighton (East Sussex County Council, West Sussex County Council, Brighton and Hove City Council) 

These areas have now all been given the opportunity to pursue the establishment of a Mayoral Combined (County) Authorities, with a view to inaugural mayoral elections in May 2026.  

The Priority Programme is expected to bring a further 8.8million people under mayoral devolution, bringing the total population who benefit from devolution close to 80% of the population of England.  

The six successful devolution areas will now work towards an ambitious devolution timetable, with full government backing.  

Consultations were launched on 17 February 2025 in relation to all six areas and will run until midnight on 13 April 2025. These consultations seek views, particularly from interested parties, including those who live and work in the areas on the effect of establishing a Mayoral Combined Authority in their area. It includes questions on the proposed geography and how the Combined Authority will make decisions, together with questions on the effects of working across this geography through a Mayoral Combined Authority. The consultations can be accessed here.  

Re-Organisation  

Following the announcement of the areas in the Devolution Priority Programme, Jim McMahon, the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, wrote to all two tier authorities formally inviting them, pursuant to the Local Government and Public Involvement Health Act 2007, to work with other council leaders in their area to develop a proposal for local government reorganisation, regardless of whether or not they are in the priority programme.  The Letters can be accessed here.   

Government has again urged councils to make "every effort to work together" to submit a single proposal to the Government rather than competing proposals. They expect local leaders to work collaboratively and proactively, including by sharing information, to develop robust and sustainable unitary proposals that are in the best interests of the whole area. Proposals for an area could include one or more new unitary councils and they should be complementary to devolution plans. 

Until reorganisation has completed, Councils will need to continue to deliver all existing services and duties, including progress towards an up-to-date local plan. 

The proposals remain for new unitary councils to be the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks and there remains reference to populations being 500,000 or more, though exceptions to this will be possible where rationale has been given.  

In terms of timescales, the following Councils who are part of the Priority Programme must submit their Interim Plans by 21 March 2025, with full proposals due 26 September 2025. In these areas legislation will be bought forward to postpone local elections to May 2026.  

• East Sussex and Brighton 
• Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock 
• Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton 
• Norfolk 
• Suffolk 
• West Sussex 

Interestingly, the remaining areas have also been given the same deadline of 21 March 2025 to submit their interim plans, but have a final deadline of 28 November 2025 to submit full proposals.  

• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough 
• Derbyshire and Derby 
• Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay 
• Gloucestershire 
• Hertfordshire 
• Kent and Medway 
• Lancashire, Blackburn and Blackpool 
• Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland 
• Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire 
• Nottinghamshire and Nottingham 
• Oxfordshire 
• Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent 
• Warwickshire 
• Worcestershire 

Given the urgency, Surrey have their own timetable, with an Interim Plan to be submitted by 21 March 2025 and a full Proposal as soon as 9 May 2025. It is also proposed that their planned county elections will be postponed.  

It is not currently clear what would happen if an Interim Plan and/or Proposal is not submitted by an area by the deadline, as the Secretary of State can only invite proposals and not direct them.  

For the Interim Plans, the Government has asked that these set out the authorities’ progress on developing proposals in line with the criteria and guidance. Each area is to submit one plan only, but each plan may cover more than one proposal if appropriate. The level of detail in the Interim Plan may vary by area but it is expected to cover any options being considered, potential barriers or challenges, indicative costs, early views on structures, plans for local engagement and steps to move forward.  

The Letter included more detailed guidance on what the Government expects in these Proposals. In summary, the Proposal should: 

1. Seek to achieve for the whole of the area concerned – it should be for sensible economic areas and sensible geography to help increase housing supply and meet local need. This should be supported by robust evidence and analysis and describe how it’s expected to achieve the outcomes. 
2. Must be the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks – as we have mentioned the guiding principle is still a population 500,000 or more subject to exceptions. The Proposal should also identify efficiencies to help improve councils’ finances and set out how an area will seek to manage transition costs. The Government have said in general there is no proposal for council debt to be addressed centrally or written off. 
3. Identify how the Unitary structures will prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to citizens - new structures should improve local government and service delivery rather than result in unnecessary fragmentation. Consideration should also be given to the impact it could have on crucial services such as social care, children’s services, SEND and homelessness, and for wider public services including public safety. 
4. Show how councils in the area have sought to work together and how issues of local identity and cultural and historic importance have been considered. It is for Councils to decide how best to engage locally in a meaningful and constructive way and this engagement activity should be evidenced in the Proposals together with how concerns will be addressed.   
5. Explain how the unitary structures will support devolution arrangements (either already in place or how it will help unlock devolution) – There should be sensible population size ratios between local authorities and any strategic authority.  
6. Enable stronger community engagement and opportunity for neighbourhood empowerment – proposals should explain plans to make sure that communities are engaged. 

Existing district areas should be considered the building blocks unless there is a strong public services and financial sustainability related justification for boundary changes. 

Once a Proposal has been submitted it will be for the Government to decide on taking a proposal forward and to consult as required by statute. This will be a separate process to any consultation undertaken on mayoral devolution in an area.  

Conclusion  

It is clear that Government has committed to moving forward with devolution and re-organisation at pace, with the Devolution Priority Programme bridging the gap between the English Devolution White Paper and the English Devolution Bill.  

Jim McMahon has stated that “this country is ready for change” and the Priority Programme being one further step towards completing the map of devolution. However, concerns remain that this is all happening too quickly, with not enough clarity as to how the Government propose sequencing local government reorganisation and devolution and how it will all be funded, with some estimations for one-off costs for local government reorganisation ranging from £25 to £100 million.  

How Capsticks Can Help 

At Capsticks, we aim to be the firm of choice for local authorities. Our specialist team is on hand to support you through the ongoing developments of the devolution programme. Our experienced Local Government team will continue to monitor progress and keep you informed. 

Please speak to Tiffany Cloynes or Rebecca Gilbert to find out more about how Capsticks can help.