Latest news with #DevolutionPriorityProgramme
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Final weekend to have your say on potential new Cumbrian mayor
A public consultation on a potential elected Cumbrian mayor is entering its final weekend The government is asking Cumbrian residents to share their thoughts of an elected mayor in the county which would be a major change. A public consultation has been launched to hear the views on a proposal to form a Mayoral Combined Authority for the local government areas of Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness. This follows the announcement that Cumbria has been selected for the Devolution Priority Programme, which will introduce an elected mayor system similar to that of Greater Manchester and the Tees Valley. Devolution provides regions with more powers and decision-making over matters including transport, employment support, planning, and housing. Critics of devolution say that it adds another layer of bureaucracy and does not offer value for money for tax payers. Read more: Update on proposed mayoral combined authority for Cumbria | News and Star The consultation will run until 11.59pm on April 13 and includes questions on the proposed geography and how the Combined Authority will make decisions, as well as the effects of working across the area through a Mayoral Combined Authority. Those interested in sharing their thoughts can do so online. If approved, Cumbria could go to the polls to elect a mayor in 2026.
BBC News
24-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Reorganisation costs not part of Chelmsford City Council's budget
Chelmsford City Council has set its budget for the upcoming financial year, despite uncertainty over the costs of local government members approved the budget, which will see its share of council tax rise by 2.96% – an annual increase of £6.55 for a Band D budget for 2025/26 is balanced, although the financial impact of abolishing the council and merging the city's services into a larger unitary authority covering more of Essex has not been authority said the government expected councils to bear the financial burden of the changes, which "could be several million pounds". Earlier this month, Greater Essex was accepted into the government's Devolution Priority Programme following a bid by Essex, Southend and Thurrock means that over the next two to three years, the 15 existing Essex councils will merge into possibly five larger unitary councils, although the boundaries of these larger councils and how many will actually be formed have not been determined City Council said the new system the government intended to use to calculate funding would be likely to reduce the amount the council received in grants and business rates, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Davidson, the authority's cabinet member for finance, said: "Council tax is a significant and valued part of our funding, but it's only paying for just over a fifth of the services we deliver."That doesn't even cover all those [services] we legally have to provide, like black bin collections, street cleaning and helping homeless families."As part of the budget, the council will start to charge for green said introducing charges for brown bin collections helped fund services not legally required, such as swimming pools, leisure centres and the city's museum."With government support expected to reduce even further over the next few years and the cost of reorganisation unknown, the choice is stark – charge, as most other councils already do, or cut services," he said. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Independent
17-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
New mayors can name up to 32 tsars to support policies such as ‘active travel'
New mayors can name up to 32 tsars to help them with their policies and work, Government papers suggest. Local government minister Jim McMahon has launched six surveys to help develop new mayoral authorities across England, a move which he said will help shift 'power out of Whitehall and into our regions'. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has named Cumbria, Cheshire and Warrington, Greater Essex, Hampshire and the Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk, and Sussex and Brighton as the six areas working towards mayoral polls in May 2026. I encourage local residents to be part of our 'devolution revolution' by contributing to these consultations Jim McMahon, local government minister Directly elected mayors will have new powers, including the right to establish a 'key route network' on their area's most important roads, a greater say in railway planning, and control over grant funding for new homes and regeneration. According to survey documents, mayors can appoint non-constituent members of the new mayoral authority from organisations, including from district councils, NHS trusts or the police and crime commissioner. They can also appoint associate members 'who can provide particular experience or expertise – for example, on active travel or local businesses' – but will not have voting rights on the proposed mayoral boards. They will sit alongside constituent members of the authority, chosen by county or unitary councils. Greater Essex's mayor will be able to appoint up to seven non-constituent and associate members. Mayors in the Cheshire and Warrington and Sussex and Brighton areas will have up to six appointees, while the mayor in Hampshire and the Solent – which includes the Isle of Wight – has up to five picks. Mayors covering Cumbria and Norfolk and Suffolk each have a maximum of four. In the surveys, the Government has asked respondents to say to what extent they agree or disagree that establishing a new authority 'will deliver benefits to the area' and 'will support the economy of the area'. Existing mayors already have appointees to help them develop and execute their policies, including Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who is supported by nine deputies and a suite of 'special appointments', including a walking and cycling commissioner and a victims commissioner. Mr McMahon said: 'We are committed to shifting power out of Whitehall and into our regions, ensuring local leaders have the tools they need to tackle local priorities and realise their areas' potential as part of our Plan for Change. 'Our Devolution Priority Programme will deliver that power at pace and I encourage local residents to be part of our 'devolution revolution' by contributing to these consultations.'
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New mayors can name up to 32 tsars to support policies such as ‘active travel'
New mayors can name up to 32 tsars to help them with their policies and work, Government papers suggest. Local government minister Jim McMahon has launched six surveys to help develop new mayoral authorities across England, a move which he said will help shift 'power out of Whitehall and into our regions'. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has named Cumbria, Cheshire and Warrington, Greater Essex, Hampshire and the Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk, and Sussex and Brighton as the six areas working towards mayoral polls in May 2026. Directly elected mayors will have new powers, including the right to establish a 'key route network' on their area's most important roads, a greater say in railway planning, and control over grant funding for new homes and regeneration. According to survey documents, mayors can appoint non-constituent members of the new mayoral authority from organisations, including from district councils, NHS trusts or the police and crime commissioner. They can also appoint associate members 'who can provide particular experience or expertise – for example, on active travel or local businesses' – but will not have voting rights on the proposed mayoral boards. They will sit alongside constituent members of the authority, chosen by county or unitary councils. Greater Essex's mayor will be able to appoint up to seven non-constituent and associate members. Mayors in the Cheshire and Warrington and Sussex and Brighton areas will have up to six appointees, while the mayor in Hampshire and the Solent – which includes the Isle of Wight – has up to five picks. Mayors covering Cumbria and Norfolk and Suffolk each have a maximum of four. In the surveys, the Government has asked respondents to say to what extent they agree or disagree that establishing a new authority 'will deliver benefits to the area' and 'will support the economy of the area'. Existing mayors already have appointees to help them develop and execute their policies, including Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who is supported by nine deputies and a suite of 'special appointments', including a walking and cycling commissioner and a victims commissioner. Mr McMahon said: 'We are committed to shifting power out of Whitehall and into our regions, ensuring local leaders have the tools they need to tackle local priorities and realise their areas' potential as part of our Plan for Change. 'Our Devolution Priority Programme will deliver that power at pace and I encourage local residents to be part of our 'devolution revolution' by contributing to these consultations.'
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Devon elections go ahead as fast track bid fails
Elections for all seats on Devon County Council will now go ahead later this year after an application to have them delayed was rejected. The county council asked the government to postpone elections due across the county as part of its move towards merging with district councils under national devolution proposals. Under national plans for local government reorganisation, Devon will merge district and county councils into new unitary authorities, which, in turn, are likely to be combined into larger strategic authorities with directly-elected mayors. The county council had hoped to delay the May 2025 elections to deal with that reorganisation. The government said the Devolution Priority Programme was only available to areas "where they are ready to achieve mayoral devolution at pace". Devon County Council and Devon's two unitary councils in Plymouth and Torbay have all said they want to create a larger strategic authority with Cornwall, but councillors in Cornwall have voted against talks with their neighbouring county. The Conservative leader of Devon County Council, James McInnes, said he was "disappointed" by the decision and would "continue to work on our proposals for local government reorganisation". The Liberal Democrats are the main opposition on the county council and gained another member earlier in the week with the defection of Frank Biederman. Caroline Voaden, Liberal Democrat MP for South Devon, said of the Conservatives: "It's little wonder they wanted to postpone elections this May. "But their shameless attempt to cancel our elections has failed, and now they must explain to Devon why after years of being deemed inadequate they deserve their votes." In January, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner told a select committee it would be "ludicrous" for councils to hold elections if they were planning to reorganise their structures. Elections for all 60 seats on Devon County Council are now due to take place on 1 May. There have been various proposals for the reorganisation of local government in Devon, with both Exeter and Plymouth saying they would like to form expanded unitary authorities. Those debates and negotiations will now continue with a final decision being made by the government. Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ Devon seeks permission to delay county elections Half of county councils could see election delay Councils unite to oppose devolution plans Devon County Council Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
