Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Posted on 25 Mar 2025

Updated 20 March 2025

The English Devolution White Paper, published16 December 2024, sets out the government's vision for devolution and local government reorganisation across England [1], [2].

This initiative aims to transfer powers and responsibilities from central government to local authorities, enabling them to make decisions that better reflect the needs and priorities of their communities.

What is Devolution?

Devolution refers to the process of transferring powers and responsibilities from central government to local authorities. This allows local councils to have greater control over areas such as planning, infrastructure, transport, skills, business, and energy [1]. The goal is to create a more balanced and equitable distribution of power, ensuring that decisions are made closer to the people they affect.

What is Local Government Reorganisation?

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) involves restructuring the existing local government framework to create more efficient and effective governance structures. This typically includes moving away from the current two-tier system of district and county councils to form unitary authorities with a population of 500,000 or more. The aim is to simplify local government structures, reduce duplication, and improve service delivery.

Key differences between Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Devolution: Focuses on transferring powers from central government to local authorities, allowing them to make decisions on a wider range of issues.
Local Government Reorganisation: Involves restructuring the existing local government framework to create more efficient governance structures, often by merging smaller councils into larger unitary authorities.

What does this mean for Stevenage?

For Stevenage, the government's proposals mean that we will be working closely with Hertfordshire County Council and other local partners to respond to the government's invitation to submit unitary proposals. Our focus remains on delivering essential services while ensuring that any changes benefit our residents and businesses.

Timeline

Here is an outline of the proposed timeline for local government reorganisation and devolution:

5 February 2025: Statutory invitation received from the government to submit unitary proposals.
21 March 2025: Submit interim Local Government Reorganisation proposal. A copy of this can now be viewed below.
1 May 2025: Hertfordshire County Council Elections.
28 November 2025: Submit full Local Government Reorganisation proposal.
April/May 2027: Elections for shadow authorities (proposed).
April 2028: Vesting day for new unitary councils (proposed).

Hertfordshire Local Government Reorganisation Submission - pdf (499.6 KB) - opens document in new window

Next steps

Stevenage Borough Council will continue to engage with local partners and stakeholders to ensure that the reorganisation and devolution process is carried out smoothly and effectively. We will keep our residents informed of any updates and provide opportunities for feedback and consultation.

For more information, please visit the English Devolution White Paper and the Local Government Reorganisation Policy and Programme Updates using the links below.

References

[1] English Devolution White Paper - GOV.UK

[2] Local government reorganisation: Policy and programme updates