English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
by Jo Hanslip
The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill was introduced to Parliament on the10th July 2025. It sets out the proposed legislative framework to expand local governance powers in England by enabling the creation, expansion, and empowerment of various types of strategic authorities, particularly mayoral and combined authorities.
The full Bill can be viewed here
A high-level summary of the Bill includes:
What is the Purpose of the Bill?
To legislate on:
- Local and regional governance (e.g. Combined Authorities, County Combined Authorities (CCAs), Greater London Authority)
- Local councils
- Police and crime commissioners (PCCs)
- Fire and rescue services
- Local audit systems
- Business tenancy terms (especially rent clauses)
What are the Key Parts of the Bill?
PART 1: Strategic Authorities
- Definitions and Types:
- Introduces terms like single foundation strategic authorities, mayoral strategic authorities, and combined foundation strategic authorities.
- Authority Powers:
- Grants powers related to transport, planning, housing, skills, economy, safety, health, and environment.
- Mayors:
- Defines mayoral functions and disqualifies sitting MPs or devolved legislators from holding mayoral office.
- Allows appointment of up to 7 commissioners by mayors to support governance.
PART 2: Functions of Strategic Authorities and Mayors
- Mayoral Competence:
- Grants general power of competence to strategic authorities and mayors.
- Empowers mayors to convene meetings and mandates collaboration among neighbouring mayors.
- Sectoral Responsibilities:
- Transport (e.g. micromobility, key route networks)
- Housing & strategic planning (including planning permissions, development corporations)
- Skills & employment (including adult education)
- Economic development (including local growth plans)
- Public health and safety (including policing, fire services, health inequality reduction)
PART 3: Local Government and PCC Measures
- Reorganization:
- Enables movement toward single-tier local government structures.
- Governance:
- Strengthens neighbourhood-level governance.
- Elections:
- Abolishes supplementary vote system for mayors and PCCs.
PART 4: Local Audit
- Local Audit Office:
- Creates a new office to oversee audit standards for local bodies.
- Restructures audit provider regulations and committee arrangements.
PART 5: Business Tenancy Terms
- Prohibited Rent Terms:
- Bans rent review clauses that unfairly bind tenants (such as “put options”).
PART 6: Final Provisions
- Includes technical, financial, and procedural clauses necessary for implementation.
Schedules
There are 31 detailed schedules covering implementation mechanisms, transitional arrangements, specific functions for authorities, planning regulations, etc.
Key Implications
- Encourages decentralised decision-making and inter-mayoral collaboration.
- Supports public service integration at the local level.
- Aims to enhance transparency and local accountability (such as through audit reform).
- Seeks to standardise governance models across England while respecting local autonomy.
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