Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the proposed (a) combined authorities and (b) combined county authorities will operate in shadow form before they are vested.

The establishment of a Combined County Authority or a Combined Authority is done via implementing secondary legislation. It is for the local authorities who are to become constituent councils in the area to determine whether to set up shadow or transition arrangements prior to the combined authority’s establishment.