Devolution Hub

In what looks to be the biggest organisational shake up local government has seen in decades, in December 2024 the government published its English Devolution White Paper detailing its ambitions for local government re-organisation and for widening devolution.

The White Paper is the forerunner to the much-anticipated English Devolution Bill which will legislate the key reforms set out, including:

A shift away from two-tier government towards a unitary authority structure;
The creation of new Mayoral Strategic Authorities; and
Greater support and devolved powers for mayors.

How are we helping you to prepare?

Local authorities undergoing devolution and Local Government Reorganisation face a number of challenges from navigating complex legal and regulatory frameworks to ensuring a smooth transition for the local community. We can provide essential guidance across a number of key areas advising on legislation, structures and agreements. With a multi-disciplinary team spanning a range of specialisms including governance, employment, and commercial contracts, we can ease uncertainty, ensure compliance and foster collaboration between local and national bodies. We can be your strategic legal partner offering advice from start to finish across the whole Devolution cycle.

What can we do for you?

We understand that the legal and commercial issues encountered by local governments in periods of re-organisation and devolution can be wide-ranging and technical in nature. Here are just some of the areas Bevan Brittan can advise on to support you through these times of uncertainty:

Governance, including ethics, conduct, and constitution reviews;
Employment and pensions;
Restructuring and HR support;
Commercial contracts;
Joint delivery of services, outsourcing, and alternative provision;
Project delivery;
Information law; and
Litigation.

We can also support our clients with horizon scanning, training, and professional development.

Devolution presents the biggest challenge to local government in 30 years. Local government organisation and governance will change and local government elected leaders will need to drive strategic change with the focus now on local and regions.
Philip McCourt

The impact of Devolution on key sectors

NHS / Healthcare

Devolution in the NHS sector is expected to significantly impact how funding flows and how local systems operate. As more power and responsibility are transferred to regional and local authorities, funding will be managed closer to the point of care delivery, allowing for more tailored approaches to meet local needs. However, this shift may also introduce variability in resource allocation and performance across different areas. Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) will play a key role in this new structure, acting as the main bodies through which devolved powers are exercised. They will need to strengthen partnerships across health and social care to ensure that funding is used effectively and equitably to address local priorities.
Housing

Mayors and strategic authorities will be central to delivering the government’s commitment to build 1.5 million homes this parliament. To support this ambition, they will be granted new powers and resources that strengthen local leadership over housing and planning. Mayors will be given new development management powers, including the ability to call in planning applications of strategic importance, similar to those held by the Mayor of London.

To deliver on these plans, Homes England will develop a stronger regional partnership with established mayoral strategic authorities. Over time, the agency will move toward a more regionalised model, becoming more responsive to local economic strategies and priorities. Devolution will also shift key responsibilities for housing delivery and regeneration from central to local government. Strategic authorities will take control of grant funding and gain the ability to shape the strategic direction of any future affordable housing programme. This approach allows local areas to align housing provision more closely with community needs and economic goals. As more responsibilities move to the regional level, the role of district and county councils will evolve, with housing functions becoming more strategically coordinated. This consolidation aims to reduce duplication and improve delivery, while also requiring robust mechanisms for collaboration and oversight.
Planning

Devolution will have a notable impact on the planning system, particularly in how planning powers are structured and exercised across reorganised areas. In the short term, regulatory functions such as planning may continue to operate within existing frameworks, maintaining continuity by using established planning committees based on predecessor authority areas. However, over the longer term, these functions will need to align with the new devolved structures to ensure consistency, strategic coherence, and responsiveness to regional priorities.

Planning is a key example of this transitional approach, where interim arrangements allow local areas to function while longer-term governance and decision-making models are developed to support more integrated and locally-driven planning outcomes.
Energy and Resource management
The government is committed to making Britain a clean energy superpower. Strategic authorities will play a central role in delivering this mission, with new powers and responsibilities that put them at the heart of the clean energy transition, local sustainability, and environmental recovery.

By 2028, retrofit funding will be devolved to Established Strategic Authorities supporting local delivery of the Warm Homes Plan.

This will cut household bills and carbon emissions while improving energy efficiency. Strategic authorities will lead the rollout of the Great British Energy Local Power Plans, enabling small- and medium-scale renewable energy projects and helping build local pipelines to deploy up to 8GW of additional power by 2030.

Their strategic role will also extend across the wider energy system, including:
- Becoming zoning coordinators for local heat networks, with footprints aligned to devolved boundaries.
- Having their energy plans considered in the National Energy System Operators’ Regional Energy Strategic Plans.
- Supporting the transition to Net Zero with more efficient, locally tailored energy solutions.
Additionally, strategic authorities will take on a greater role in environmental stewardship, including leading local nature recovery strategies. As responsibilities shift under devolution, waste management contracts may be restructured to reflect new governance and promote more integrated, sustainable resource management.

These reforms will empower strategic authorities to shape resilient, low-carbon infrastructure that meets local needs while advancing national climate goals.