What is the English Devolution White paper?

The English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024 is the Government's statement of its plans to reform local government.

This includes a wide range of proposals on devolution but also plans for local government reorganisation, and changes to local audit.

What is Devolution?

In England, devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from national to local government. It means decisions are made closer to the local people, communities and businesses they affect.

Devolution will include the creation of new strategic or combined authorities overseen by a directly elected Mayor across a large geography. This body would oversee devolved powers on key issues such as transport and economic development.

In some areas this will see neighbouring areas join up and be led by a directly elected mayor.

Such a model currently exists in London, Greater Manchester and other places.

What is Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)?

Local Government Reorganisation is the process by which the structure and responsibilities of local authorities are reconfigured. The government White Paper states that unitary councils can lead to better outcomes for residents, save significant money which can be invested in public services, and improve accountability with fewer politicians who are more able to focus on delivering for residents.

If Warwickshire were to move to a unitary model, the county and district and borough councils would all dissolve and a new unitary council or councils would deliver all the services. The government agrees that, for Warwickshire, reorganisation is essential to unlocking devolution options.

What is the difference between Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation?

Devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from national to local government.

Local Government Reorganisation is a process where all county and district and borough councils in an area are reorganised into fewer, unitary councils.

What is a Unitary Authority?

Unitary authorities are a single tier of local government responsible for all local services in an area. They may cover a whole county, part of a county or a large town or city. For example, Cornwall Council, Nottingham City Council and Reading Borough Council are all unitary councils.

Large urban areas may have a unique form of unitary authorities called metropolitan councils, such as Oldham or Doncaster. London boroughs are also unitary authorities.

What is a two-tier Authority?

Two-tier authorities such as Warwickshire are where:

1. County councils provide services that cover the whole county such as education, and adult social care.
2. District councils (sometimes called borough councils) provide local services such as refuse collection, environmental health, and housing.
3. Parish and town councils are smaller and have differing local responsibilities.

What is a Mayor?

A mayor is a directly elected leader of a geographical region. Many areas of England already have mayors, including London, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire. There are also directly elected mayors covering single unitary councils.

Directly elected mayors with expanded powers are expected to provide accountability and clearer leadership. Those empowered local leaders will be best positioned to drive economic development in their regions.

What is the process for LGR?

There are two ways in which Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) can take place.

1. The first is for an area to be invited by ministers to become a unitary council. Unanimous agreement from councils in that area is not needed. The government have invited all remaining two tier local government areas to submit proposals for local government reorganisation. The government expects all areas to submit interim proposals in March 2025, with new unitary councils having elections from 2026 onwards.
2. Councils which unanimously agree on a preferred way forward for their area can also make a direct proposal to ministers. Government acknowledges there will likely be differences in views, so this approach is not expected to be used widely.

What are the benefits of LGR?

A unitary council delivering all key services is intended to simplify and streamline local government. Benefits include enhanced efficiency, service delivery and economic growth.

The consolidation of smaller councils into larger authorities is expected to reduce administrative overheads and deliver services more efficiently.

What are the next steps for Warwick District Council?

It is expected that elections to new 'shadow' unitary council(s) will take place in May 2027, followed by the official 'vesting day' in April 2028, where the unitary council(s) will officially take hold, and existing councils will dissolve.

What will happen to Warwick District Council?

It will no longer exist. It will be abolished along with the neighbouring district and borough councils and county council and replaced with new unitary council(s).

Does it mean that Warwickshire County Council will take over the other District and Boroughs?

No, all councils in Warwickshire will be abolished.

What will happen to services?

There are no immediate changes to the operation of Warwick District Council’s services. Throughout this process, our vital work supporting residents will continue - services will be delivered and we will still be here for those who need us most.

Local government reorganisation has taken place in several areas in the last decade, including Dorset, Cumbria, Northamptonshire and Wiltshire. We will talk to colleagues in other parts of the country to take on board learnings and ensure a smooth transition.

Will it affect other public services like Police, Fire?

There are potentially a number of ways to go about local government reorganisation and government is asking all interested councils o develop an interim business case for reorganisation. As part of our business case, we are working with partners such as Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, police and health colleagues to propose the best model for Warwickshire.

Will residents get the opportunity to be involved?

Yes. We will engage with residents and partners in shaping the business case and provide regular updates on progress.

Will my MP get a vote on the plans?

To implement Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), changes will be made through a Statutory Instrument. Statutory Instruments can follow two different procedures:

Negative: allows a change to become law unless either House of Parliament objects within a set period.

Affirmative: means the change must be approved by both Houses of Parliament before becoming law.

Most structural changes in local government will follow the affirmative procedure. Full votes are rarely held for affirmative procedures. This means that MPs are unlikely to have the opportunity to vote on LGR.

How will this affect Town and Parish Councils?

Government is asking county and district and borough councils to reorganise into unitary councils. Town and parish councils are not currently being asked to change, but we will be engaging them in the process.

Why haven’t I had a chance to vote on this?

The Labour Party set out their ambition for devolution in their manifesto before they came to power. While it didn't go into detail of exactly how they would do this until the white paper in December, their intentions were clear. We are now working to secure the best possible deal for you as residents and businesses.

What is the cost of reorganisation?

We cannot confirm the cost at this stage. Currently, there is no government funding for LGR or Devolution, councils are expected to fund this as it will create efficiencies in the long term. We are constantly having to find savings to keep council tax as low as possible whilst delivering vital services. Once we know any more on this, we will let you know.

Could there be council tax rises?

There is always a possibility that council tax could increase – it is the main source of funding for council services. Warwick District Council will be setting a budget next year, and any council tax increase would be decided in February 2026.