The Government provided a total of £7.6m in 25/26 to support the 21 areas undergoing local government reorganisation to develop proposals.

The Government also paid out £1.8m in August 2026 to Surrey, with new councils taking on responsibilities from April 2027. This was part of the committed £63 million capacity funding to councils undergoing reorganisation.

As part of the Review announced on 7 September, the Government will consider the approach to costs and funding given that areas will have committed some resources to reorganisation.

Tackling corruption is a critical part of Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction efforts.

The UK is supporting Ukraine to strengthen transparent, accountable and effective systems for reconstruction, including public procurement reform, anti-corruption institutions and public investment management. We recognise the value of municipal partnerships in exchanging professional expertise, improving local services and strengthening capacity for locally led recovery.

We will continue to consider how UK procurement expertise can complement these partnerships and existing government-to-government cooperation, while supporting open procurement, value for money and credible accountability throughout the reconstruction project cycle.

The government is committed to supporting local leaders to drive growth and improve public services.

In the Cabinet Statement on ‘Rewiring the State’ the government committed to replace grants from central government with a share of local income tax for every mayor beginning in 2028, such that where a region grows its tax base, it benefits from the increased receipts. This will sit alongside greater retention of the revenue from business rates for local councils and strategic authorities.

At the Budget, the government will publish a roadmap setting out further detail on the design of fiscal devolution, and we will use the upcoming Spending Review to confirm the detailed arrangements for assigned income tax.

As I saw myself in my visit to Ukraine from 21-24 September, delivery of the UK-Ukraine 100-Year Partnership is a whole-of-government effort, with departments leading on commitments relevant to their responsibilities. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) works with Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) and Devolved Governments to support deeper links between regional and local governments and wants to see more UK and Ukrainian authorities twinned in ways that deliver benefits for communities in both countries. Local authorities have hosted Ukrainian professionals for exchanges of expertise, supported business links, worked on resilient urban development and reconstruction, shared experience on culture and tourism, and donated life-saving equipment. The Government is also encouraging schools, universities and other institutions to build similar links, including through the UK-Ukraine university twinning scheme, which has established more than 100 partnerships. Progress on implementation of the 100-Year Partnership is reviewed through our regular bilateral engagement, including the UK-Ukraine Strategic Dialogue, and the Government updates Parliament in the usual way.

As I saw myself in my visit to Ukraine from 21-24 September, delivery of the UK-Ukraine 100-Year Partnership is a whole-of-government effort, with departments leading on commitments relevant to their responsibilities. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) works with Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) and Devolved Governments to support deeper links between regional and local governments and wants to see more UK and Ukrainian authorities twinned in ways that deliver benefits for communities in both countries. Local authorities have hosted Ukrainian professionals for exchanges of expertise, supported business links, worked on resilient urban development and reconstruction, shared experience on culture and tourism, and donated life-saving equipment. The Government is also encouraging schools, universities and other institutions to build similar links, including through the UK-Ukraine university twinning scheme, which has established more than 100 partnerships. Progress on implementation of the 100-Year Partnership is reviewed through our regular bilateral engagement, including the UK-Ukraine Strategic Dialogue, and the Government updates Parliament in the usual way.

As I saw myself in my visit to Ukraine from 21-24 September, delivery of the UK-Ukraine 100-Year Partnership is a whole-of-government effort, with departments leading on commitments relevant to their responsibilities. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) works with Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) and Devolved Governments to support deeper links between regional and local governments and wants to see more UK and Ukrainian authorities twinned in ways that deliver benefits for communities in both countries. Local authorities have hosted Ukrainian professionals for exchanges of expertise, supported business links, worked on resilient urban development and reconstruction, shared experience on culture and tourism, and donated life-saving equipment. The Government is also encouraging schools, universities and other institutions to build similar links, including through the UK-Ukraine university twinning scheme, which has established more than 100 partnerships. Progress on implementation of the 100-Year Partnership is reviewed through our regular bilateral engagement, including the UK-Ukraine Strategic Dialogue, and the Government updates Parliament in the usual way.

As I saw myself in my visit to Ukraine from 21-24 September, delivery of the UK-Ukraine 100-Year Partnership is a whole-of-government effort, with departments leading on commitments relevant to their responsibilities. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) works with Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) and Devolved Governments to support deeper links between regional and local governments and wants to see more UK and Ukrainian authorities twinned in ways that deliver benefits for communities in both countries. Local authorities have hosted Ukrainian professionals for exchanges of expertise, supported business links, worked on resilient urban development and reconstruction, shared experience on culture and tourism, and donated life-saving equipment. The Government is also encouraging schools, universities and other institutions to build similar links, including through the UK-Ukraine university twinning scheme, which has established more than 100 partnerships. Progress on implementation of the 100-Year Partnership is reviewed through our regular bilateral engagement, including the UK-Ukraine Strategic Dialogue, and the Government updates Parliament in the usual way.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that facial recognition technology is used with appropriate safeguards. There is an established legal framework governing the use of the technology, including compliance with data protection, equality and human rights legislation.

Local authorities considering the use of the technology must ensure that its use is lawful, necessary and proportionate, and complies with applicable legal requirements.

Local authorities must also have regard to the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice, which sets out guiding principles for the appropriate, transparent and effective use of surveillance camera systems. The Code, which is overseen by the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner, promotes accountability, transparency, effective governance and public confidence.

More broadly, the Government has consulted on a new framework for law enforcement use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies. The Police Reform Bill will include clearer rules and safeguards, and a single expert body to provide independent advice and oversight.

Our ambition is that every area in England has, or is in the process of establishing, a Strategic Authority by the end of 2027, with Strategic Authorities in place everywhere by the end of 2028. The Government recently wrote to all areas without a Strategic Authority seeking confirmation of their devolution ambitions, including their preferences regarding mayoral or non-mayoral devolution.

Where an area favours a non-mayoral Foundation Strategic Authority, and for existing Foundation Strategic Authorities, we will work with them on potential future mayoral devolution. The Government will not impose mayors on areas that do not want one, but we do consider that directly accountable mayors represent the strongest form of governance available, and so the suite of powers available to areas with mayors will be commensurately greater. However, we will consider what powers should sit at the Foundation Strategic Authority level, and recently government confirmed that Foundation Strategic Authorities will be able to raise an Overnight Visitor Levy in their area.

The Government has withdrawn the March 2026 decisions for Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, and paused activity in the other 14 areas, including Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire, while a full review of the local government reorganisation programme is undertaken. We recognise the need for clarity and will set out next steps as soon as possible.

A summary of the representations received was published here. The Government currently has no plans to publish the individual representations received.

The call for evidence for the Seventh UK National Action Plan for Open Government received 17 ideas that specifically mentioned ‘local government’. These are organised against different sub-themes such as open data, public participation, anti-corruption, and Freedom of Information. Further Information about themes and sub-themes are contained within ANNEX I: Detailed Theme Assessment Tables of the call for evidence outcome document.

We will look at the local aspect of sub-themes as relevant commitments are taken forwards.