The government published on 16 April statutory guidance on appointing mayoral commissioners and setting/reporting allowances in combined authorities and county combined authorities. This sets out information about political restrictions, remuneration and how they should be recruited through fair and open competition.

The government continues to engage with local government and the communities sector to ensure that we understand best practice. We will lay regulations and in due course.

Government will establish Mayoral Strategic Authorities in the Devolution Priority Programme areas as quickly as possible following the consent of the constituent councils.

The Combined Authorities for Cumbria and Cheshire & Warrington were established on 24 February. Legislation establishing a Sussex and Brighton strategic authority has been laid before Parliament. We are firmly committed to delivering mayoral devolution as quickly as possible in the other three Devolution Priority Programme areas: Hampshire and the Solent; Norfolk and Suffolk and Greater Essex. We will continue to work closely with all Devolution Priority Programme areas.

On 12 February, the government wrote to all local authorities – including in Gloucestershire and its neighbours – that do not currently have a devolution agreement inviting them to come forward with to agree a non-mayoral, Foundation Strategic Authority across a sensible geography.

It is for councils to propose new devolution arrangements where local consensus has been reached with their neighbours, and we will consider any proposals brought forward, subject to it meeting the criteria set out in the English Devolution White Paper and the forthcoming English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.

Ministers and officials in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regularly engage with counterparts in the devolved governments on matters relating to local and regional economic growth.

Engagement with devolved governments and the Offices for the Nations forms part of the work to develop and implement the Local Growth Fund in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This will ensure the funding fits the needs and circumstances of each nation, is spent on projects that matter to the people of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and drives productivity and growth across the UK.

The government’s strong preference is for partnerships that bring more than one local authority together over a large geography to form a combined or combined county authority. By exception, the government will consider non-mayoral devolution arrangements for single local authorities. Further devolution in the South West will be announced in due course, following local conversations and ministerial decisions.

The Government is committed to supporting regional growth. Analysis informed by OECD evidence shows that equipping local leaders with fiscal tools can stimulate investment in priority areas and foster sustainable growth. This is why we are pursuing further fiscal devolution through enhanced local revenue raising powers, including our intention to introduce a new power for Mayors to introduce a levy on short-term overnight stays. A public consultation was launched immediately following the Chancellor’s Budget statement and will run until 18 February.

The devolution framework in the English Devolution White Paper commits to a simplified funding landscape for Mayoral and Foundation Strategic Authorities.

Foundation Strategic Authorities receive a single allocation from the Adult Skills Fund to support education and training for adults aged 19 and above. Foundation Strategic Authorities will also have their transport funding consolidated. Places will be held accountable through a transport-specific accountability framework with a proportionate outcomes framework and metrics. The Government is also committed to providing areas with certainty over the entirety of the Spending Review period. The Local Authority Bus Grant ended the short-term approach to bus funding and gives councils the certainty they need to plan ahead.

The White Paper also set out a clear and transparent pathway to unlocking higher levels of devolution reserved for the most mature institutions, including access to the Integrated Settlement for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities.

The English Devolution White Paper sets out how Local Growth Plans will galvanise action and investment, including through setting out a pipeline of investment opportunities for strategic authorities. Adopting a Local Growth Plan will be a duty conferred on combined authorities as soon as the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill receives Royal Assent, so we encourage all councils in the Devolution Priority Programme to use the guidance we’ve provided to develop their growth plans. In the interim period between the establishment of the Mayoral Strategic Authorities in the new year and inaugural mayoral elections, we will provide the authorities with a portion of their investment funds to ensure they can start delivering on key local priorities and deliver the benefits of devolution on the ground ahead of the Mayors taking office.

The evidence is clear that to drive improved economic outcomes, we must devolve core levers over growth – like transport, skills, employment support and strategic planning – and align these across functional economic areas in which people live and work. Decisions on future devolution, including for Wessex, will be confirmed in due course, subject to further ministerial review and local conversations.

The evidence is clear that to drive improved economic outcomes, we must devolve core levers over growth – like transport, skills, employment support and strategic planning – and align these across functional economic areas in which people live and work. Decisions on future devolution, including for Wessex, will be confirmed in due course, subject to further ministerial review and local conversations.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will establish ‘Strategic Authorities’ to lead in our regions. Strategic authorities will not replace councils. Strategic authorities will be responsible for unlocking investment, infrastructure and economic growth across larger geographies, while local authorities will continue to be responsible for the critical daily services residents rely on and improving local neighbourhoods.

Only one power will be transferred to South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority from its constituent councils via the Bill and only in specific circumstances. The Authority will take on responsibility for preparing reports assessing local road traffic levels and forecasting their growth, but only in relation to roads that are part of the Authority’s Key Route Network.

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority will also be given other powers, including over housing, land acquisition, and economic development which it will exercise concurrently with its constituent councils. As a constituent member of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, Sheffield City Council will have a key role in the decision-making about how most of these powers are used. Full detail of which powers will be held by Strategic Authorities were published alongside the Bill in Devolution Framework Explainers.

Regular meetings are held between officers from local authorities in Wessex and officials this Department on a range of topics important to the area, including devolution. Ministers have also exchanged views in correspondence with local leaders, in which we have been clear that decisions on future devolution will be subject to further ministerial decisions and local conversations.

Regular meetings are held between officers from local authorities in Wessex and officials this Department on a range of topics important to the area, including devolution. Ministers have also exchanged views in correspondence with local leaders, in which we have been clear that decisions on future devolution will be subject to further ministerial decisions and local conversations.

We have not had discussions with Greater Essex on the requirement or expectation on the levying of a mayoral precept. As set out in paragraph 3.1 of the Greater Essex devolution consultation, the Greater Essex Mayoral Strategic Authority would have the ability to introduce a mayoral precept on council tax should it choose to do so.

Decisions on future devolution beyond the areas on the Devolution Priority Programme, including Cornwall, will be confirmed in due course and will be subject to further local engagement and ministerial decisions.

Single foundation strategic authorities will be non-mayoral. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill makes provision for the Secretary of State to designate a unitary council or county council, which is not covered by an existing strategic authority, as a single foundation strategic authority, subject to the consent of the council involved. The deepest powers and functions will be available to strategic authorities led by a mayor, as set out in the English Devolution White Paper.

The government has been clear in its goal to achieve universal coverage in of Strategic Authorities in England.The English Devolution White Paper set out the principles that will guide the government’s programme of widening and deepening devolution.

The government remains committed to working in partnership with local leaders to deliver its vision and will continue to engage with local partners in Cornwall to explore how the area can benefit from devolution.

A Mayoral Strategic Authority over Hampshire and the Solent will play a key leading role on transport planning and delivery for the area, becoming the Local Transport Authority, with responsibility for producing a Local Transport Plan setting out their local transport policies and how these will be delivered.

We would also expect the Mayoral Strategic Authority to deliver for all communities and address disparities, this could include through designating a member of the leadership Cabinet with a Rural portfolio to ensure equality of attention across all areas of the region, as has been done in other Strategic Authorities.

The government published a response to the Hampshire and the Solent Devolution Consultation on 17 July which is available on gov.uk here. This includes detailed breakdowns by several categories of respondents.