The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill is launched
- Aug 11, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 4
Explanatory notes: Guidance, Explainers, Impact Assessment
The 338-page English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill was published on 10 July 2025, and is currently going through the parliamentary process. The Bill formalises much of the contents of the English Devolution White Paper, with some notable additions. What is clear, is that, if this Bill becomes legislation (as expected), it will bring about the most significant changes to the local government market since the 1972 Local Government Act. Key aspects of
the Bill are as follows:
Strategic authorities and a new devolution framework
See: Parts 1&2, Clauses 1-54 of the Bill
The Bill formally establishes Strategic Authorities (SAs), which
were described in the White Paper as partnerships bringing
more than one local authority together over a large geography
(around 1.5 million people), ideally under an elected mayor.
SA’s will include:
• Combined Authorities (CAs) (for example, the West of
England CA)
• Combined County Authorities (CCAs) (for example, the
new Devon and Torbay CCA)
• The Greater London Authority
• In exceptional cases, single councils
A standardised devolution framework will automatically confer legal powers and funding to SAs, with the scope determined by the authority’s tier. There are three tiers:
Strategic Authority | Includes | Devolution |
Foundation | All non-mayoral CAs and CCAs | Least |
Mayoral | All mayoral CAs and CCAs | Default |
Established Mayoral | All mayoral CAs and CCAs, which if certain strict eligibility criteria is met, including that they have had an elected Mayor for at least 18 months | Most, including access to integrated settlement |
The nature of the functions and the size of the budget will depend on the tier the SA is in. The Bill provides SAs with the ability to move up tiers and, read in conjunction with the White Paper, the Government encourages areas to do so over time.
By electing a mayor, Foundation Strategic Authorities can become Mayoral Strategic Authorities. Recently formed combined authorities with mayors will automatically receive this status.
The optimal tier is Established Mayoral Strategic Authority. The Secretary of State has the power to designate a Mayoral Strategic Authority, as an Established Mayoral Strategic Authority. That can only happen if they have received a proposal. If the Secretary of State does not grant this designation, they must provide reasons for this decision, in writing. It is not possible for an area to lose their established mayoral strategic authority status by secondary legislation once it has been granted.
Read the full update here:
