There could be a full devolution deal across England by 2029 with the introduction of new metro mayors, new devolution agreements and a reopened West of England Combined Authority according to a report out this morning
Half of England’s population currently is not covered by any form of devolution says the Institute for Government which adds that devolution has unfolded unevenly and the new Labour government rightly states an ambition to ‘complete the map’ of devolution.
Their report sets out our analysis of how the government should take these decisions and what the options are in each part of England.
It concludes that the big strategic choice facing ministers is between smaller, simpler, county-based deals (Option 1) and larger regional arrangements that offer greater potential for ambitious growth strategies (Option 2).
Completing the map’ – extending devolution to 100% of the country – should be the explicit objective.
This is both fair to places that have been
left out and in the government’s own interests.
More consistent devolution can help Labour achieve its growth objectives and leave Whitehall to focus on national strategic matters that are its comparative advantage.
With political will and sustained focus, the government can complete the map within this parliament.
To expedite progress says the report, it should set out more clearly which powers can be devolved and on what basis decisions will be taken. It should also move from bespoke deal-making to a more consistent ‘off-the-shelf’ offer.
In some parts of England, the solution is clear. This is the case for most of the existing mayoral combined authorities (MCAs) – including in Greater Manchester, the East and West Midlands, Liverpool City Region, North, South and West Yorkshire, the North East and Tees Valley.
The boundaries of these established MCA settlements should be left untouched. The focus should be on deepening devolution and investing in institutional capacity. The same applies to Greater London.
The provisional mayoral devolution agreements in Greater Lincolnshire, and East Riding and Hull should likewise be implemented as agreed. The existing Lancashire deal should be replaced by a deeper mayoral deal on the agreed boundaries.
In Cheshire, Cumbria, Essex and Kent, devolution should be on the historic county footprints, with MCAs (or mayoral combined county authorities, MCCAs) established across each county. A Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland MCA should also be created.
Other deals should be reopened. The West of England Combined Authority should include North Somerset. The provisional Devon and Torbay deal should incorporate neighbouring Plymouth. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough MCA should probably retain its existing boundaries, but the case for unitarisation (moving from two-tier to single-tier local government) should be considered.
But in many ‘devolution deserts’, particularly in the south, ministers face a bigger strategic choice between smaller but simpler deals that may enjoy more local support and larger regional deals that offer greater potential for ambitious growth strategies, but will be harder to agree and implement.
