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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the ​​English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether new unitary councils will have the option of adopting council mayors as their executive governance.

In the English Devolution White Paper, the Government made a commitment to consider the governance models available to local authorities across the sector.

As part of wider reforms to the local government landscape, the department continues to review available governance models to ensure decision making is best supported at all levels of local government.