Found: The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, introduced on 10 July, will establish the LAO

Found: I think that the steps this Government have taken in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

Found: Finally, you may have noted the introduction to the UK Parliament last week the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

Found: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Transport relating to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26699 on Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to allow Ministers to change the boundaries of existing strategic authorities.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, introduced to the House of Commons on 10 July 2025, amends provisions in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 and the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 concerning the establishment and expansion of combined authorities (CAs) and combined county authorities (CCAs), respectively.

These provisions allow for existing CAs or CCAs to be changed through ‘locally-led’, ‘Secretary of State-led’ and ‘Secretary of State-directed’ routes.

The locally-led and Secretary of State-led routes will require local consent. However, where no relevant, viable proposals have been submitted, the Secretary of State may decide to direct the addition of a local government area to an existing CA or CCA.

The Government believes that devolution should be locally-led wherever possible and will work with local leaders to agree proposals that have broad support.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of banning upward-only rent reviews for commercial leases on the valuations of commercial property owned by local authorities.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government has carefully assessed the evidence for banning upwards only rent reviews and published full details in the Impact Assessment for the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.

Based on the data and evidence-base we have available, we have assessed that any costs incurred by landlords will be outweighed by the benefits to tenants and the wider economy of a fairer, more dynamic property market.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to delay any local elections as a result of the new local government structures proposed in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

No.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to require public e-bike hire schemes to include third-party insurance for (a) injury to people and (b) damage to property as part of the hire fee; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of such a requirement on (i) public safety and (ii) liability for scheme users.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is empowering local leaders to licence shared cycle schemes through measures in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. These licences will contain some minimum standard conditions set by the Secretary of State to ensure a baseline of safety and operability across the country. This could include specific insurance requirements for operators. We will consult publicly on the nature of these conditions before licensing is implemented to ensure we get it right.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what public consultation her Department has undertaken in relation to the proposed prohibition of upward-only rent reviews for commercial leases in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

No formal public consultation was undertaken prior to the announcement of the policy. However, upwards only rent reviews are an issue of a longstanding concern that artificially inflated rents make it harder for businesses to access commercial property. The government conducted extensive research and expert engagement before deciding to proceed with the ban, which will encourage the market to operate more efficiently, ensuring rents respond to market conditions, and promote less adversarial relations between landlords and tenants.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has had recent discussions with combined authority mayors on provisions in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill on restrictions on being Members of Parliament.

Answered by Jim McMahon

My department has engaged with Mayors and the local government sector ahead of publication of the English Devolution White Paper, where this policy was introduced.

The post of mayor is a significant role at the forefront of delivering change and demands the full attention of any post holder. That is why the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will prohibit individuals from holding the office of Member of Parliament (or being a member of the devolved legislatures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and mayor simultaneously. This is already the case for Mayors who hold Police and Crime Commissioner responsibilities.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support community ownership of local assets.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

We want to support communities to take ownership of assets that are important to them. Community Right to Buy, introduced in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, will empower local people to bring community spaces back into community ownership and help to end the blight of empty properties on our high streets.

This new measure will give community groups the first option to purchase registered assets when they are put up for sale and a longer timeframe to raise funding to purchase the asset.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to replace the Community Ownership Fund.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

On 23 December 2024, we announced that the Community Ownership Fund (COF) is closed and that there will be no further application windows. Whilst we have closed the COF programme, this Government remains committed to the communities sector and to community empowerment.

As part of the Spending Review, we announced communities funding for up to 350 places, which will serve as the cornerstone of this Government’s support for communities, incorporating the existing 75 Plan for Neighbourhoods areas announced in March.

Through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, we will also introduce a new Community Right to Buy to give local people stronger powers to acquire valued community spaces. This new measure will give community groups the first option to purchase registered assets when they are put up for sale and a longer timeframe to raise funding to purchase the asset.

The Bill will also expand the definition of an Asset of Community Value (ACV) to help protect a wider range of assets, including those that support the economy of a community and those that were historically of importance to the community. This will empower local people to bring community spaces back into community ownership and help to end the blight of empty properties on our high streets.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to bring people into high streets.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is taking several steps to regenerate high streets to make them attractive to businesses, communities and visitors.

The Government has announced communities funding for up to 350 places, including the 75 places named in the Plan for Neighbourhoods in March 2025. The Plan for Neighbourhoods will provide £1.5bn to some of the most left-behind communities in the United Kingdom over ten years – including Kirkby-in-Ashfield. Places will be able to use their £20m to enrich their town centre offering and revive footfall in their high streets.

Additionally, the Government is tackling vacancy with High Street Rental Auctions, giving local authorities the power to auction rental rights of persistently vacant commercial properties. We are also legislating through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill for a new Community Right to Buy, enabling communities to acquire valued assets. These measures will help revive footfall, boost local economies, and empower communities.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has received representations from the Mayor of London on the provision in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to disqualify a person from being a mayor and a Member of Parliament simultaneously.

Answered by Jim McMahon

My department has engaged with Mayors and the local government sector ahead of publication of the English Devolution White Paper, where this policy was introduced.

The post of mayor is a significant role at the forefront of delivering change and demands the full attention of any post holder. That is why the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will prohibit individuals from holding the office of Member of Parliament (or being a member of the devolved legislatures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and mayor simultaneously. This is already the case for Mayors who hold Police and Crime Commissioner responsibilities.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department had with relevant stakeholders on the inclusion of measures on supplementary vote in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.

Answered by Jim McMahon

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has engaged with a wide range of local government stakeholders during the development of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. On the measure regarding the supplementary vote, we have discussed this measure with both Mayors and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, given this measure will revert the voting system back to the supplementary vote system for both Mayors and Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). We will continue to engage with Mayors and PCCs on this measure, and all other measures in the Bill, during the passage of the Bill through Parliament.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether strategic authorities will have responsibilities for social care provision.

Answered by Jim McMahon

Local Authorities will retain responsibility for social care provision. Strategic authorities will gain a new duty in relation to health improvement and inequalities through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, but this will not alter the duty for Local Authorities to deliver adult’s or children’s social care services.

Strategic Authorities have a key role to play in taking action, particularly on the social determinants of health, through the exercise of their functions in areas such as transport, housing, and planning. By working with other local leaders, they can move away from traditional forms of service delivery to a holistic approach organised around service users.

To support Strategic Authorities in being active leaders in this space and driving a “health in all policies” approach in line with our Mission government approach, the government is introducing a new bespoke duty in relation to health improvement and health inequalities. Additionally, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill sets out a new standardised Devolution Framework, which positions Strategic Authorities as convenors on public service reform. They will work in partnership with Local Authorities to bring partners together to drive forward public service reform and prevention.

Our programme of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) will unitarise the remaining 21 two-tier areas; LGR will bring upper and lower tier councils together so all social care services are delivered in one place. On 25 July, the Department published clarifying information for areas developing Local Government Reorganisation proposals, including reference to social care: Local government reorganisation: Considerations for partnership working in social care for new unitary authorities. This reiterated the point that ‘new unitary councils will take over statutory responsibility for service delivery, including social care responsibilities which will continue to sit with the Director of Children’s Services (DCS) and Director of Adult Social Services (DASS).’

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether mayors in (a) mayoral and (b) county combined authorities will have rights of veto.

Answered by Jim McMahon

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, introduced to the House of Commons on 10 July 2025, makes provision to standardise voting arrangements for mayoral combined authorities and mayoral county combined authorities when making decisions. Unless prescribed otherwise, the standard voting arrangement will be a simple majority of the authority’s members voting and present, including the mayor. This means the mayor must be in the majority for a decision to pass.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 24 June 2025 on Simplified Local Leadership Structures, HCWS736, through what legislative means the committee system will be abolished.

Answered by Jim McMahon

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, introduced to the House of Commons on 10 July 2025, makes provision to change the available governance arrangements for councils in England, by amending the Local Government Act 2000 to remove the committee system and require those currently operating the committee system to move to the leader and cabinet model.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the report entitled Annual Shared Micromobility Report 2024 published by CoMoUK.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

We are committed to growing shared micromobility in Great Britain. The Government continues to trial rental e-scooters so we can learn what works, and on 21 July I announced these trials will be extended to May 2028, and for the first time since the trials began, I am offering new towns and cities the opportunity to join.

Cycle sharing is already here and growing, as highlighted by this report. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill introduced on 10 July included a measure to regulate on-street micromobility services which will give our local leaders the powers to regulate shared micromobility so they can shape these schemes around their needs, connect people to public transport, and ensure they are used safely and responsibly.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 31879 on Councillors: Data Protection, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to amend the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to include the reforms to the Localism Act 2011 on councillor’s home addresses.

Answered by Jim McMahon

Our continued aim is to remove the requirement for councillors’ home addresses to be published. We intend to legislate when parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed prohibition of upwards-only rent reviews in all commercial property leases contained in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill on (a) institutional finance markets and (b) speculative development funding sources in the context of (i) large scale urban regeneration projects and (ii) other development projects.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The government conducted extensive research and engagement before deciding to ban upwards only rent reviews. In the last quarter of 2024, 1 in 7 high street properties were vacant. Whilst we recognise the ban removes a guarantee of return from investors, it will support growth overall by making rents fairer and allowing businesses to access and invest in our High Streets.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill and her Department's document entitled English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether she will bring forward legislative proposals for (a) Mayors to have a statutory role in (i) governing, (ii) managing and (iii) planning railways, and (b) an option for Mayors to control local railway stations and (c) the right for Mayors to request rail devolution.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

These subjects will be addressed in the Railways Bill, to be introduced later in this parliamentary session, and with accompanying guidance on the right to request. Guidance will outline the process for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities to make this request and the criteria that will be considered, such as national and regional network implications.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to bring forward pilot zoning schemes to provide easier planning for commercial development in financial and professional service hubs in the East of England.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The government recognises a local zonal approach where upfront planning permission is granted for certain types of commercial development can be a useful tool to attract new investment to specific places.

Local planning authorities already have the power to make Local Development Orders to do this, and the National Planning Policy Framework encourages them to use this tool.

Through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, we are also now giving mayors a similar power to make Mayoral Development Orders, enabling them to bring forward proactively new strategic sites for commercial development in their area.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has published on the maximum of deputy mayors that may be appointed by the (a) Greater London Authority and (b) combined authority mayors; and whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend these limits.

Answered by Jim McMahon

The maximum number of deputy mayors for the Greater London Authority (GLA), combined authorities, or combined county authorities is set out in relevant legislation – that being the Greater London Authority Act 1999, the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, and the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.

There are several positions that may be referred to as ‘deputy mayor’. In the GLA, this includes the statutory deputy mayor, the mayor’s appointees under section 67(1)(b) of the 1999 Act, and the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime. In combined authorities and combined county authorities, there is the statutory deputy mayor and, where applicable, the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will, if passed, introduce the position of ‘commissioner’, whom the Mayor can appoint to help deliver on one or more areas of competence.

The Mayor of London may appoint up to 11 ‘deputy mayors’ under section 67(1)(b) of the 1999 Act. In combined and combined county authorities, mayors can appoint one statutory deputy mayor and one Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime. As currently drafted, they will be able to appoint up to seven commissioners. There are no plans to amend these limits.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to abolish directly elected council mayors once directly elected strategic authority mayors are introduced in localities.

Answered by Jim McMahon

As part of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, subject to Parliamentary agreement, we will legislate to prevent the creation of any new local authority directly elected Mayors. However, to prevent any further disruption, we accept the continuation of the 13 legacy directly elected Mayors currently in post.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have given to local authorities about the specific democratic decision-making processes they should adopt; and under which legislation has such guidance been given.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We have provided no current guidance to local authorities on their decision-making processes; within the governance models provided for in legislation, the precise nature of each council’s constitutional arrangements is for that council to decide.

As part of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill we intend that in future any council operating under the committee system will be required to operate with the leader and cabinet form of governance, and that leader and cabinet will be the only option, for councils currently operating with a directly elected mayor, should they determine to change governance arrangements.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether statutory guidance on Community Right to Buy provisions in the English Devolution Bill will recognise environmental impact when determining the value of community assets.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The government recognises the vital role of community spaces and wants to see them thriving again. Community Right to Buy will empower local people to bring community spaces back into community ownership.

These provisions were introduced on 10 July in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. Subject to parliamentary passage, statutory guidance will be introduced in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to help increase the number of community (a) pubs and (b) social clubs.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government recognises the crucial role that pubs and social clubs play in our communities, supporting local economies, providing a sense of community pride, and fostering belonging and connection.

We want to support communities to take ownership of assets that are important to them. Community Right to Buy, introduced in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, will help local people acquire valued community spaces, such as pubs and social clubs, if they come up for sale, keeping these assets in the hands of the community.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce the number of empty retail units and (b) help regenerate high streets in (i) Eastbourne and (ii) other towns.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

This government is taking several steps to reduce empty retail units and regenerate high streets in Eastbourne and other towns across the country. Eastbourne will benefit from up to £20 million over 10 years through the £1.5 billion Plan for Neighbourhoods programme announced in March, which aims to regenerate local areas, including high streets in deprived areas.

Additionally, the government is tackling vacancy with High Street Rental Auctions, giving local authorities the power to auction rental rights of persistently vacant commercial properties. We are also legislating through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill for a new Community Right to Buy, enabling communities to acquire valued assets. These measures will help revive footfall, boost local economies, and empower communities.

Found: English devolution and changes to local transport The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

Found: English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill 2024-25

Found: The news follows the introduction of the new English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill in Parliament

Found: take the reins in driving growth receives its biggest boost as the landmark English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

Found: our regions, and making devolution the default setting through our landmark English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

Found: English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill: Impact assessment