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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 2991 on Devolution: East of England, whether mayoral or directly elected leader elections will take place in (a) Suffolk and (b) Norfolk in May 2025.

This Government has recently announced that it will not be proceeding with the existing devolution deal with Norfolk County Council and Suffolk County Council respectively. Instead, Government will continue discussions with Norfolk and Suffolk to deliver a more ambitious agreement.

This Government strongly believes that the benefits of devolution are best achieved through the establishment of combined institutions with a directly elected mayor. We want every part of England to take their place on the Council of Nations and Regions, with strong and effective partnerships in place with councils and other partners to deliver the missions we have set out to transform the country.

Mayors should have a unique role in an institution which allows them to focus fully on their devolved strategic responsibilities, working hand in glove with council leaders who will vitally also focus on the delivery of the essential services for which they are responsible. Conflating these two responsibilities into the same individual and institution, as is the case under the mayoral Single Local Authority model of devolution, would risk the optimal delivery of both and is not in line with the direction of travel we are setting out on ahead of the English Devolution Bill.

Regarding the decision taken by a council to change its’ governance arrangements for a directly elected local authority mayor, that is a decision which rests with the councils concerned.