To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the potential impact of local government reorganisation is on Police and Fire Commissioners who are coterminous with an existing combined authority.
Answered on
28 January 2025
The English Devolution White Paper set out the Government’s ambitions for devolution and local government reorganisation. Government's aim is for empowered, simplified, resilient and sustainable structures for local government. It will be essential for councils to work with local partners to develop plans for sustainable unitary structures capable of delivering the high-quality public services that residents need and deserve. We intend to formally invite unitary proposals from all councils in two-tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries in January 2025. We will ask for interim plans in March and full proposals later in the year. The White Paper also set out that where geographies align with Police and Crime Commissioner and Fire and Rescue Authorities, Mayors will, by default, be responsible for those services.