Decentralising and streamlining - an ear to the ground on devolution

As the current buzzword at the forefront of the national agenda, Devolution has the potential to create the most significant shake-up to local politics in a generation.
Following the release of the English Devolution White Paper in December, Meeting Place’s recent webinar was an opportunity to shine a spotlight on -and demystify- the looming changes.
With the session chaired by Nikki Davies, my fellow panellists – Helen Goral, Freddie Palmer and Joseph Baum – shared their insights from the inner workings of local government and planning across their various regions. We highlighted the key regions to watch out for, the best practices and lessons learned from areas that have already undergone significant change.
Decentralising power
This bold vision seeks to decentralise power, transition away from two-tier government structures, and introduce unitary authorities and Combined Authority Mayors. The aim is to create more efficient governance and empower local leaders, but the road ahead is complex.
Throughout the webinar, we delved into the political and practical implications of this transformation, exploring who stands to gain or lose and how these changes will impact councils and regions across the country.
Streamlining planning
One of the key themes we explored was the role of strategic authorities in governance and delivery. With the ambition for England to have universal coverage of Mayoral Strategic Authorities, there is significant potential to streamline planning and decision-making. However, aligning policies across multiple councils and ensuring community voices are heard without delaying progress are challenges that cannot be ignored.
Labour’s vision for local government
The conversation naturally turned to Labour’s vision for local government, which emphasises aligning local authority boundaries with strategic authorities and reducing the number of councillors to create a more efficient area.
Labour’s proposals link falling trust in politics to an overly centralised system and present devolution as the solution. We debated whether these changes could genuinely address public disillusionment and deliver the promised efficiencies.
The panellists agreed that while the vision is promising, its success will depend on effective implementation and strong leadership by councillors at all levels.
The practical impact
Our audience came forward with insightful questions about the practical impact of devolution. Many were particularly interested in how devolved governance could address the housing crisis and what lessons could be learned from the successes of elected mayors across the country.
From Andy Street’s achievements in the West Midlands to Andy Burnham’s transformative work in Greater Manchester, these examples demonstrated the potential of empowered local leadership to drive real change. However, with the wrong individual, the results fall far short of what the full potential of delivery can be achieved.
Opportunity knocks?
Reflecting on the session, it is clear that devolution presents both a remarkable opportunity and a significant challenge for the sector.
It has the potential to create a governance system that is more responsive to local needs and better equipped to deliver for communities. However, achieving this will require innovation, cross-party working and a clear commitment to putting people at the heart of decision-making.
Devolution is a complex topic, and I am confident that by continuing these discussions, we can help shape a system that truly delivers the housing and infrastructure that is so desperately needed across England.
If you would like to continue the conversation and explore any of the themes discussed further, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me or any member of the Meeting Place team.