Asked by: Lord Fuller (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the letter regarding local government reorganisation sent by the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution to the leaders of all two-tier councils and neighbouring unitary authorities, published on 15 January, what assessment they have made of the capacity of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Boundary Commission for England to meet the Government’s proposed timetable for devolution; and in how many areas is it practical to cancel local council elections to achieve the Government's objectives.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Devolution Priority Programme will provide a fast-track to mayoral devolution, aiming to see a new wave of mayoral elections in May 2026. The areas on the Devolution Priority Programme will receive the full backing of government to deliver to these ambitious timescales. We will commence Government-led consultations in early in February, and we have a team in the department who will be focused on supporting these places through the process.
My department is liaising closely with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England so that they are involved at the appropriate time to ensure fair electoral arrangements across the area of any new unitary local authorities.
The Government wrote to local authorities in December setting out that, where it will help deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe, the government would be prepared to postpone local elections from May 2025 to May 2026. Of the 18 requests, Government agreed that for Norfolk and Suffolk; Essex and Thurrock; Hampshire and the Isle of Wight; East Sussex and West Sussex postponement is essential for the delivery of the Devolution Priority Programme and complementary reorganisation. Government has also agreed to postpone elections in Surrey, where reorganisation is essential to unlocking devolution options.
Asked by: Lord Fuller (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the letter regarding local government reorganisation sent by the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution to the leaders of all two-tier councils and neighbouring unitary authorities, published on 15 January, what statutory process and timetable they expect to use to postpone the May 2025 local council elections in areas that request this; and what consultation will be undertaken with all principal authorities in those areas.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As set out in my colleague’s letter of 16 December, the Minister will only consider these requests where it is clear that postponement will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe. A decision will be made in due course, recognising the need to give confirmation as soon as practically possible. If the decision is to make secondary legislation to postpone elections from May 2025 to 2026, such legislation would be subject to the negative resolution procedure and would come into force no sooner than 21 days after it is laid in Parliament.
The powers in the Local Government Act 2000 under which that legislation will be made do not apply a statutory requirement to undertake consultation. However, the 16 December letter to all councils in two-tier areas and small neighbouring unitaries welcomed views on any matters raised in the letter. Future consultation will be undertaken on devolution and on the reorganisation proposals that are subsequently developed for all areas to which those proposals apply.