PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(11 December 2024)

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions her Department has had with Worcestershire County Council on (a) local government reorganisation and (b) devolution.

Asked by:
Bradley Thomas (Conservative)

On Monday, this Government published a landmark English Devolution White Paper, setting out an ambitious plan for extending the benefits of devolution to more of England and unleashing further powers from Whitehall back into local communities that know their areas best. The White Paper sets out a new Devolution Priority Programme which is available to all places, including Worcestershire, who are ready to come together under sensible geographies and are ready to deliver on the Governments ambitions around mayoral devolution. This programme will aim to deliver institutions and have Mayors elected in the May 2026 elections. The Government will announce the places included in the Devolution Priority Programme in due course.

Alongside this, Government will shortly invite unitary proposals from all councils in two-tier areas, including Worcestershire. Any new unitary councils must be the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks.

Government looks forward to hearing from Worcestershire on English Devolution and Local Government Reform.

Answered by:
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1 January 1970