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.

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.