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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference chapter 2, section 9D of the Local Government Act 2000 of her Department’s English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, what powers a directly elected (a) mayor and (b) leader would have.

The Functions and Responsibilities Regulations 2000, made under the Local Government Act 2000, set out which functions are not to be the responsibility of a council’s executive (mayor and cabinet, or leader and cabinet).

As we set out in the English Devolution White Paper, we will discontinue the individual local authority devolution model in its mayoral form. We will continue to expand the number of areas with a Mayoral Strategic Authority covering more than one local authority. We are giving those mayors strong new powers over housing, planning, transport, skills, employment support and more, backed up with integrated and consolidated funding.