Introduction

The range and scale of reforms announced in White Paper will impact every council and its community in the South East. The government has paired devolution with proposals to reorganise local government alongside a new framework of powers, competencies and funding delivery. Although the White Paper attempts to simplify the approach to devolution there are still many variations and possibilities to digest.

The Government has incentivised Mayoral devolution over strategically large geographical areas as being the means to access additional local powers and unlock further funding freedoms such as an Integrated Settlement. Alternative proposals will be considered on a case-by-case basis but as a milestone towards future Mayoral devolution plans. The time critical message is that where local leaders are unable to agree how to access devolved powers the Government will direct and impose the boundaries upon those remaining places. The new Strategic Authorities being created will need a leadership team who can effectively drive policy across the responsibilities and competences of the Authority and represent it externally. South East Employers will continue to offer leadership support across all three tiers of Strategic Authorities as they are established within the region.

A phased approach to delivery of Local Government Reorganisation will prioritise where reorganisation could unlock devolution, where areas are keen to proceed at pace or where it can help address wider failings. The expectation is that all two-tier areas and smaller or failing unitaries will develop proposals for reorganisation but that this should not delay devolution and plans for both should be complementary. South East Employers will support its member organisations to meaningfully embrace the opportunities presented whilst never underestimating the challenges they present. Our team will collaborate with local authorities to strengthen and help prepare teams engage with the process to achieve the best outcome for the region. 

Across the various areas of competencies there are both new requirements and expectations alongside welcomed removal of barriers to progress and growth. The White Paper sets out the long-term vision with ambitious milestone step changes to transition or achieve alignment in each area. There are significant undertakings in each area such as the development of Spatial Development Strategy and creation of Local Growth Plans or initially the vision for growth.

Alongside these ambitions there is a theme throughout the White Paper of how capacity to deliver this vision for England can be grown through funding reform, the removal of bureaucratic barriers and a move to coterminous boundaries across public sectors.  A local government workforce development group will attempt to identify practical solutions to help resolve and improve workforce issues which have long been highlighted within the South East region. There is recognition of the support and development needed for elected councillors such as the barriers to attracting and retaining them including but not limited to enabling remote attendance at meetings, the use of proxy voting and the removal of the requirement to publish home addresses. South East Employers will continue to support its member organisations to coach and prepare their political leadership for the challenges of local government decision making in this changing landscape.

It is going to take some time to digest the full impact of the reforms and South East Employers want to provide the space to start discussing what this means for the region. Our local Democracy Network is relaunching on Thursday 30 January, 10am – 12noon running as a virtual forum jointly hosted with South East Councils.  running as a virtual forum with an agenda focused on discussing what the White Paper plans mean for the region with MHCLG officers and national think tanks. Three spaces are available for each member authority intended to be spread across both councillor and officer representatives. Book your space on our website  to be part of the conversation.

Devolution structure and approach

The White Paper sets out the intention to complete the devolution map with a strong preference for:

• Mayoral devolution over strategic geographical areas (page 24) and therefore major benefits being offered in those areas
• Partnerships that bring more than one Local Authority together over a large geographical area with in only exceptional circumstances an individual Authority designated as a Foundation Strategic Authority (page 28)
• alignment between devolution boundaries and other public sector boundaries (page 31)

 The framework sets out three tiers of strategic authorities (page 28):

• Foundation Strategic Authority: automatically including non-mayoral Combined Authorities and Combined County Authorities and any Local Authority designated as a Strategic Authority without a Mayor
• Mayoral Strategic Authority: automatically all mayoral Combined Authorities and all Mayoral Combined County Authorities and the Greater London Authority
• Established Mayoral Strategic Authority: those who meet specified eligibility criteria will be designated and unlock further devolution such as an Integrated Settlement.

 The statutory functions and governance arrangements for each level of Strategic Authority are set out as part of the framework, will be received automatically and override any existing governance arrangements (Page 29-30)

• Legislation will facilitate structure change should local government reorganisation take place within Strategic Authorities e.g. when a two-tier area becomes single tier (Page 28)
• Seven competency delivery areas have been identified and wide-ranging legal powers are being explored to enable effective working across public, private and voluntary sectors (Page 29). Mayors will be enabled to promote economic, social and environmental aims and convene stakeholders with a corresponding duty on public authorities to respond. There will be a duty to collaborate with constituent local Authorities and neighbouring Strategic Authorities.
• Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities will be able to innovate and pilot additional functions to the added to the framework either individually or with others.
• In Mayoral Strategic Authorities, a majority vote which includes the Mayor will be required to approve decisions on the use of most functions. Specific functions set out in the Devolution Framework will be exercisable only by the Mayor (Page 30).
• In Foundation Strategic Authorities, most decisions will require a majority but key strategic decisions will require unanimity. (Page 30).
• The governance arrangements for the setting of Combined Authority and Combined County Authority budgets and transport levies will also be standardised. These changes will not apply to the Greater London Authority or any single Local Authority designated as a Foundation Strategic Authority, given their different legal constitution. (Page 30).
• The following principles will be considered when agreeing geographies to find the optimal outcomes when not possible to meet all the principles) (Page 31):
  • Scale: Strategic Authorities should be of comparable size to existing institutions e.g. a combined population of 1.5 million or above but smaller authorities may be necessary.
  • Economies: Strategic Authorities must cover sensible economic geographies with a particular focus on functional economic areas, reflecting current and potential travel-to-work patterns and local labour markets and likely to cover multiple travel to work areas where these are small and fragmented.
  • Contiguity: Any proposed geography must be continuous across its component councils (either now or with a clear plan to ensure continuity in the future through agreed local government reorganisation).
  • No ‘devolution islands’: Proposals must not leave out any areas which are too small to go it alone or which do not have natural partners.
  • Delivery: Geographies should ensure the effective delivery of key functions including Spatial Development Strategies, Local Transport Plans and Get Britain Working Plans.
  • Alignment: The Government will seek to promote alignment between devolution boundaries and other public sector boundaries such as police and fire services boundaries.
  • Identity: the ability for local residents to engage with and hold their devolved institutions to account with local identity being a key factor (Page 31).
• Where local leaders have not been able to agree how to access devolved powers the Government will legislate for a ministerial directive, which will enable it to create Strategic Authorities in those remaining areas (page 35)

London/GLA

• The Government will also explore whether changes are needed to the system governing the disposal of Transport for London operational land and the way in which transport funding is agreed for London.
• The Government will work with the Mayor of London to compare the powers and policy approaches of other global city authorities. This will be led by a new working group sponsored jointly by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Greater London Authority. (Page 36-37).

Local Government Reorganisation

A programme of local government reorganisation will be facilitated as quickly as possible for two tier areas and for those unitary councils where there is evidence of failure or where their size or boundaries may be blocking their ability to deliver sustainable and high-quality services for their residents.

• Proposals for reorganisation are expected to be developed and Council leaders will be written to shortly setting out setting out information on criteria for sustainable unitary structures, how and when to submit proposals and how the Government intends to respond to proposals (Page 101). Proposals should not delay devolution and plans for both should be complementary (Page 100). Proposals should be in the best interest of the whole area, non-competing and swiftly implemented (Page 101).
• Consideration will be given to the governance models available to best support local authority decision making (Page 101).

• Consideration will be given to proposals for Local Authorities to work in partnership through the establishment of a Combined Authority or Combined County Authority but only as a platform to consider mayoral devolution in the future (Page 32).

• Within two-tier areas Combined County Authorities would be established but not Combined Authorities - districts would not be constituent members but effective collaboration would be expected especially where the district council covers the primary city or economy in that area (Page 32).

• A phased approach to delivery will be taken, considering where reorganisation can unlock devolution, where areas are keen to proceed at pace or where it can help address wider failings.

• Focus is on stronger community arrangements when reorganisation happens in the way councils proactively and innovatively engage at a neighbourhood or area level so that citizens are empowered and have a community voice. (Page 101)
• Relationship between town and parish councils and principal Local Authorities to be ‘rewired’ to strengthen expectations on engagement (Page 100).

• New unitary councils must be the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks e.g. a population of 500,000 or more, but there may be exceptions considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure new structures make sense for an area, including for devolution (Page 100).

• Support will be available from Government to develop robust proposals and implement new structures, including taking decisions to postpone local elections where this will help to smooth the transition process (Page 101).
• Lessons learnt from the experience and successes who have been through the process will be shared (Page 101).

Funding

The White Paper announces a commitment to the provide multi-year funding settlements in the future, build on the proposals to reform the Local Government Finance System and simplify funding through the Devolution Framework. The focus is how devolution can unlock funding and remove barriers within each area to support growth. Devolution Framework summary table sets out the funding and investment across tiers.

• The Government will provide multi-year funding settlements in the future (Page 96)

• Building on the proposals set out in the previous government’s Fair Funding Review the Local Government Finance System will be further reformed (Page 96).

• The Devolution Framework commits to simplified funding (Page 49) which will include:
  • Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities will become eligible for the Integrated Settlement, which will commence at the following Spending Review provided a sufficient preparation period has passed. The scope of Integrated Settlements will be confirmed at each Spending Review on the basis of functional responsibilities, and their value by a formulaic process. Integrated Settlements will have a single systematised approach to spending controls and a streamlined assurance and accountability framework coordinated by the MHCLG.
  • For Mayoral Strategic Authorities, consolidated funding pots covering: local growth, place, housing, and regeneration; non-apprenticeship adult skills; and transport. These will commence in the following Spending Review.
• For Foundation Strategic Authorities, MHCLG will provide dedicated local growth allocations, decided by formulae, and with lighter-touch investment sign-off.
• The local growth funding landscape will be reformed at the following Spending Review, rationalising the number of funds and moving away from competitions.
• Funding will continue for Mayoral Combined Authorities with Investment Zones to create additional jobs and economic growth in areas that have economically underperformed in the past.
• Existing 30-year investment fund arrangements will be honoured, new areas receiving this funding on their creation, and funding for new institutions standardised to increase fairness. Gateway reviews will be removed for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities which have passed Gateway One or equivalent (Page 49).

• Legislation will be amended to enable Mayoral Combined and Combined County Authorities to raise a mayoral precept on their full range of functions should they choose to (Page 49).

• In the 2024 Autumn Budget, the Government announced £1.3 billion of new grant funding in 2025/26 for local government to deliver core services. As part of this the Government will introduce a new ‘Recovery Grant’, worth £600 million, which will increase the efficiency of funding by targeting money towards areas with greater need and demand for services (the Government has used deprivation as a proxy for this), and less ability to raise income locally. (Page 96).

• A new model of business rate retention will be explored to drive growth (Page 97).

• The use of funding pots to be reformed, the number of restrictive grants to be reduced and the number of capital-focused growth funds to be rationalised including consolidating this funding into Integrated Settlements for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities where relevant (Page 98).

Audit and standards

The aim is to fundamentally reform the local audit system.

• The Office for Local Government has been closed with immediate effect (Page 103).

• The Government will shortly engage with the sector, including with key audit stakeholders on how best to move functions into the organisation on audit, subject to legislation in order to offer insights drawn from audits (Page 103).

• The Government will consult on proposals including: (Page 103-104).

• A mandatory code of conduct – to establish a higher minimum standard of expected behaviours and ensure consistency, and updating the code to cover discrimination, bullying, use of social media, and other issues not captured in the current minimum requirements.
• A requirement for principal Local Authorities to convene formal Standards Committees ensuring there are formal, transparent processes to uphold and promote standards.
• A role for a national body to deal with the most serious cases and appeals, as was the case under the former system with the Standards Board for England, subject to discussions with the sector.
• Powers to suspend, including imposing premises and facilities bans – to allow Local Authorities to enforce their own standards. The ability for councils to address serious misconduct with powers to suspend councillors for a maximum of six months, with the option to withhold allowances where deemed appropriate.
• Disqualification if subject to suspension more than once – to curb the risk of “repeat offending” and empower councils to signal that poor behaviour will not be tolerated.
• Exploration of immediate disqualification in certain instances of serious misconduct, subject to discussion with the sector.
• Interim suspension whilst under investigation – to reassure the public that action is being taken. This could be used in serious cases that may involve protracted investigations or the police, for example alleged fraud or assault.
• Publication of all code breach investigation outcomes – to enhance transparency, giving the public the opportunity to check their council’s record on maintaining good conduct.

Capacity building

• Strategic Authorities will need a leadership team who can drive policy forward across the responsibilities and competences of the Authority and represent it externally.

• Mayoral Capacity Funding would be received by new Strategic Authorities to kickstart their organisations (subject to Spending Review decisions) and calculations reviewed to ensure any changes are consistent with the Devolution Framework (Page 109).
• a secondment scheme between central government and Strategic Authorities will be introduced including the placement of civil servants in Strategic Authority officer roles, including senior positions (Page 109).
• working alongside Bloomberg Philanthropies and others the government will build a capacity support offer that will help local leaders deliver results (Page 109)

• Where a Strategic Authority takes on powers which are currently funded outside the Local Government Finance Settlement or the integrated settlements, such as Mayoral Capacity Funding, MHCLG will work with the relevant department or organisation to explore funding this through these routes. (Page 109).

• Mayors will be supported in collaborating at pan-regional level and creating convening bodies whose purpose, priorities and membership are decided at a regional level, and working with existing regional organisations such as Sub-National Transport bodies (Page 109)
• Mayors will be able to appoint and remunerate ‘Commissioners’ to support the delivery of key functions. They would not be members of the Strategic Authority, and the roles would be expected to reflect the areas of competence, such as a Transport Commissioner (Page 110).

Accountability and Scrutiny

Evaluation and feasibility studies will be explored to measure the outcomes and impact of devolution to date, different devolution commitments, including the Integrated Settlements, working with areas to understand the right balance of responsibilities between central and local government.

• Evidence will be captured on devolution as it becomes available, looking at delivery and implementation, future trends, and impact in place (Page 46).
• Progress will be measured on the key services and outcomes Strategic Authorities are expected to deliver, to be clearer on priorities and reduce micromanagement (Page 106).
• The English Devolution Accountability Framework (Page 107) include the accountability framework for Integrated Settlements and will clarify the roles between the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government ‘system Accounting Officer’, the Accounting Officer of contributing departments, and the Chief Executive of the Mayoral Combined Authority, including interaction with scrutiny and Managing Public Money guidance.

• Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities will be held to account for the outcomes associated with their Integrated Settlement via an outcomes framework aligned to national missions, other national priorities and local economic concerns. The outcomes framework will provide a structured approach to defining, measuring and reporting on performance on Integrated Settlement delivery during the Spending Review period. The outcomes framework will identify the desired outcomes for assessing performance across the policy responsibilities devolved through the Integrated Settlement, as well as the indicators, outputs and targets that will be used to track progress in the Spending Review period. (Page 107).
• The outcomes framework will:
• Provide a single, streamlined approach to accountability and reporting to central government.
• Align local priorities and national priorities with Local Growth Plans as the guiding star for investment.
• Become a scalable feature of the accountability landscape as devolution is deepened and widened.
• Monitor activity which can be genuinely influenced within the Integrated Settlements’ themes whilst moving away from existing programme and project-specific monitoring of inputs and outputs that central government track.
• Provide sufficient evidence to inform delivery performance within the Spending Review period (Page 107).

• Further development and consultation is expected to explore
• Reviewing the Scrutiny Protocol.
• Improving external scrutiny of value for money on local public spending, including exploring a Local Public Accounts Committee model alongside reforms to local audit.
• Ensuring the oversight and transparency of decision making and activity conducted by the bodies that Strategic Authorities establish.
• clarifying lines of accountability for value for money, exploring models such as Local Accounting Officers.
• Ensuring the system of stewardship, as it applies to Strategic Authorities, is operating as effectively as it can, including the case for setting up an annual conversation with each area. (Page 107-08).
• Further exploration through The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport’s local media strategy of the role of Local Authorities to support local media, for example through increased openness in providing local journalists with access to information (Page 108).

Functions

The Devolution Framework summary table sets out the variations between the powers relating to different functions across the different tiers of Strategic Authority. Some highlights have been drawn out below but do not represent the full proposals within the White Paper.

Skills and Employment Support

• Non-apprenticeship adults skills funding will be devolved to Strategic Authorities:
  • Within Mayoral Strategic Authorities, this will combine and un-ringfence funding for the Adult Skills Fund, Free Courses for Jobs, and Skills Bootcamps from 2026/27 onwards.
  • For Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities, this will form part of their Integrated Settlements from 2025/26 onwards.
  • Foundation Authorities will continue to receive devolved Adult Skills Fund alongside ringfenced funding for Free Courses for Jobs and Skills Bootcamp. (Page 54).
• The Government will establish joint ownership of the Local Skills Improvement Plans model involving Strategic Authorities and the designated Employer Representative Bodies (Page 54-55).
• Mayoral Strategic Authorities have a crucial role in ensuring there are clear pathways of progression from education into both further and higher education and local employment opportunities (Page 55-56).
• Strategic Authorities will be responsible for producing a local Get Britain Working Plan, focused on reducing economic inactivity supported by grant funding or as part of the Integrated Settlement (Page 58).
• Mayoral Strategic Authorities will have a role in co-designing any future non-Jobcentre Plus employment support (Page 58) and the geographies of Jobcentre Plus will be more closely aligned with existing Mayoral Strategic Authorities (Page 59). 

Housing and Strategic Planning

• the forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill will direct defined groupings of upper-tier county councils, unitary councils, and in some cases Foundation Strategic Authorities to deliver a Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) and these groupings will to be guided by the geography criteria that have been set out for agreeing new devolution deals (Page 64). SDSs will guide development for the Local Planning Authorities in the area, and their Local Plans will need to be in general conformity with the Spatial Development Strategy but relevant Local Plans should continue to be updated or developed alongside the SDS process rather than delayed (Page 64).
• Mayors will continue to have powers to apply compulsory purchase orders and to establish Mayoral Development Corporations. The Government will also extend to them the power to make Mayoral Development Orders (Page 61-2).
• Local Authorities’ ability to take over the management of vacant residential premises will be strengthened and the introduction of large selective licensing schemes to improve conditions in the private rental sector will no longer require Secretary of State approval (Page 94).

Environment and climate changed 

• Over time, the Government envisages Strategic Authorities will be appointed the Local Nature Recovery Strategies responsible authority where they are not already (Page 76). This transition will begin with the roles and functions of the LNRS responsible authorities being enhanced.

Health, Wellbeing and public service reform

• A new bespoke duty in relation to health improvement and health inequalities is being introduced. The Government will engage Strategic Authorities, Local Authorities and the NHS as this is taken forward (Page 79). Mayors (or a delegate) are expected to be appointed to one or more relevant Integrated Care Partnerships in their local area in order to support better join-up between Strategic Authorities and Integrated Care Systems as well as being considered for the position of Chair or co-Chair alongside Local Authority, Integrated Care Board and independent chair options (Page 79).  

Public Safety

Police and fire 

• Where mayoral geographies align with police force and fire and rescue geographies, Mayors will be, by default, responsible for exercising Police and Crime Commissioner and Fire and Rescue Authority functions (Page 83).

• In those areas where Strategic Authorities do not align with these boundaries, steps will be taken to ensure alignment over the longer term (Page 83).

• a single Mayor may be able to take responsibility for Police and Crime Commissioner and Fire and Rescue Authority functions across two or more police forces or two or more Fire and Rescue Authorities in the future as part of the English Devolution Bill (Page 83).

• police and fire boundaries may be altered incidentally upon the transfer of Police and Crime Commissioner and Fire and Rescue Authority functions to Strategic Authority Mayors, considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure the continued efficiency and effectiveness of these functions (Page 83).

Offender rehabilitation

• Mayors will be asked to explore how, at a local level, their skills, employment support, health, and housing levers can be better brought together to support rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into society (Page 85).

• greater alignment of probation boundaries in England with Mayoral Strategic Authorities will be explored in the long term, particularly in cases where Mayors have taken on Police and Crime Commissioner functions (Page 85).

Local Resilience

• Strategic Authorities will be supported to adopt a clear role in building resilience across their areas and in working with local resilience structures (Page 85).

• • close working and partnership between Strategic Authorities and the Local Resilience Forums within their areas will be encouraged.
  • the ongoing review of national resilience will inform the development of resilience responsibilities adopted by Strategic Authorities (Page 85) and they may be recognised as a categorised responder within the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 in order to adopt the duties and responsibilities of a member of the Local Resilience Forum following further guidance on this role (Page 85).

Innovation and Data

The White Paper committed to building on existing commitments to support effective innovation partnerships by empowering regional innovation decision-making through stronger direct connections with UK Research and Innovation. This will include:  

• Building on the lessons learned from the successful innovation accelerator pilots working with Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities to develop a future regional innovation funding programme as part of the second phase of the Spending Review. This is intended to enable local leaders to develop bespoke innovation support offers for their regions and deliver these in partnership with UK Research and Innovation, based on their capability and the maturity of their local innovation ecosystems. 
• UK Research and Innovation extending its regional partnerships and network of embedded points of contact with Mayoral Strategic Authorities that are committed to work collaboratively on innovation, ensuring they are strategically involved in the development and delivery of future strategies and investments. 
• Innovate UK collaborating with all Mayoral Strategic Authorities to produce joint plans that shape long-term innovation strategies and investments in places. 
• Publishing UK Research and Innovation data on the location of investments to help Strategic Authorities to understand publicly supported innovation activity in their region and how to best take advantage of it. 
• Establishing annual engagement between the Mayors of Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities and the Science Minister, plus more regular senior engagement with UK Research and Innovation senior leaders. 
• Consulting with Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities on the development of relevant Department of Science, Industry and Technology and UK Research and Innovation strategies. (Page 69). 

The White Paper announced the establishment of a new Mayoral Data Council to integrate senior data leaders from Mayoral Strategic Authorities into central decision-making on data issues that affect them. It will champion better data and better use of data, as well as improved data sharing. The Data Council will input into the Mayoral Council and the central government digital and data function. The Council will also look to collaborate with Devolved Governments where appropriate. (Page 44). 

• Together with relevant government departments, the Mayoral Data Council will refine and implement the data partnership principles. These set out how central government and Strategic Authorities will work together for the legal, safe and secure sharing of data, to make accessing data easier and more streamlined. The principles will support and streamline negotiations with individual government departments over access to priority datasets. (Page 44). 
• The Office for National Statistics (ONS) will be supported to lead a refresh of the government’s subnational data strategy, in which they seek to drive the delivery of better local statistics in collaboration with the Devolved Governments and draw on findings from the recent Lievesley Review. The Government will also continue to engage with the ONS in meeting the ambitions of that strategy through their local data and insight programme (Page 45). 
• To boost the data and analytical capacity of Strategic Authorities the Government will provide continued support for ONS Local to gather user needs and understand data gaps, provide data access, analytical support, and capability to local data leaders (Page 45). 
• Strategic Authorities will be consulted on the development and operation of cross-government services that enable easier data discovery and access, as stakeholders alongside central government departments. Examples of current data discovery and access initiatives include the Data Marketplace, National Data Library and the Integrated Data Service (Page 45). 
• The Government will legislate to broaden the scope of the Digital Economy Act 2017 public service delivery powers via a provision in the Data (Use and Access) Bill – to allow for information sharing to improve public service delivery to businesses (Page 45). 
• The Government will also work with Strategic Authorities to consider establishing data sharing initiatives under the Digital Economy Act. The Government will assess existing data governance practices (including information sharing agreements) and aim to streamline these processes in compliance with the relevant Codes of Practice and data protection legislation (Page 45). 
• The Government are committed to improving the efficiency of data collection while improving data consistency and completeness through the adoption of data standards (Page 45). 

Next Steps

• areas at similar stages of progress will be grouped together with priority given to those minded to work towards mayoral models of devolution (Page 112).

• a number of places will be invited to join the Devolution Priority Programme to deliver institutions at pace, have Mayors elected in the May 2026 elections , be part of accessing the new powers in the revised Devolution Framework and taking their seat at the Council of the Nations and Regions (Page 112-3).

• a full Integrated Settlement from next year will be provided to Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North East, South Yorkshire, West Midlands and West Yorkshire.
• Those areas will access the non-statutory elements of the new Devolution Framework as soon as possible and be supported to be ready for the additional statutory powers into law (Page 113).

• other Mayoral Strategic Authorities looking to demonstrate they qualify for ‘Established Mayoral’ status will be engaged with to help them demonstrate they are ready.
• proposals will be considered from existing and new Mayoral Strategic Authorities to amend the Devolution Framework ahead of the Devolution Bill getting Royal Assent (Page 113).

• The Government will encourage and facilitate Strategic Authorities working together with Arm’s Length Bodies, third party providers and government departments where necessary in the use of their Devolution Framework functions. (Page 113).

• The Government will work with Mayors to: (Page 114). 
• Identify a set of jointly agreed shared priorities, which will guide action and collaboration in delivering their statutory requirement to develop Local Growth Plans.
• Establish the Mayoral Data Council, bringing together data leads from across central and local government, to review and implement the data partnership principles.
• Set up a new working group with the Greater London Authority to compare the powers and policy approaches of other global city authorities.
• The Government will target engagement with Mayors and Strategic Authorities to shape how to deliver reforms on: (Page 115). 
• New freedoms for Local and Strategic Authorities, on removing the requirements for Secretary of State consent they are required to seek on use of their powers and byelaws.
• The areas of competence for Strategic Authorities and how these are supported by the powers to deliver against them.
• How best to reflect devolution into policymaking, where these are appropriate for local delivery and in their areas of competency. This includes feeding back proposals, developing the ambition for public sector boundary realignment, and how to ensure Non-Departmental Public Bodies and Arm’s Length Bodies build in Local Growth Plans and Spatial Development Strategies to their work.
• The future of the Scrutiny Protocol to continue to improve the standards of scrutiny locally.
• How to deliver external scrutiny of value for money of local public spending, particularly where freedoms and flexibilities of the Integrated Settlement are being utilised. The wider reform of audit will include consideration of how to support and provide external assurance on this.
• Considering a single point of accountability for value for money, exploring Local Accounting Officers and Local Public Accounts Committees models to enhance the accountability of Strategic Authorities.
  Considering how to ensure transparency and oversight of decision-making and activity conducted by the bodies that Strategic Authorities establish.
• Boosting capacity support for institutions, looking at what would best support them.
• Delivering data reform, developing a comprehensive vision for local government data.
• Effective voting arrangements for strategic planning. (Page 114-15).
• Work with Local Authorities and the wider local government sector to:
• Identify where more freedoms can be provided for Local Authorities to use powers without central approval.
• Develop proposals to improve support and development for councillors, as well as addressing barriers to attracting and retaining elected members.
• Consult on local government standards.
• Set out a vision for radically simplifying the local audit system, including an intention to establish a new body for local audit. The Government will engage with key stakeholders on a separate document, which will set out the vision in more detail.
• Establish a local government workforce development group, run in partnership with the sector, to identify practical solutions to workforce recruitment and retention.
• Work with individual areas on local government reorganisation, inviting proposals from all remaining two-tier areas and those unitary councils where there is evidence of failure or their size or boundaries may be hindering their ability to deliver sustainable and high-quality services to their residents. The Government will facilitate delivery of an ambitious first wave of reorganisation in this Parliament.
• Develop further proposals for public service reform and prevention, alongside place-based leadership models.
• The areas of competence for Strategic Authorities and how these are supported by the powers to deliver against them.
• Confirm effective strategic planning voting arrangements outside of Strategic Authorities.