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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to allow local referendums on (a) local government restructuring, (b) changes to the governance model of local councils and (c) the establishment of combined authority mayors and strategic authorities.

Parliament has set out in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 the process for establishing unitary councils in two-tier areas, and a referendum is not part of the statutory process that has already begun. The process requires statutory consultation, and we will welcome responses from anyone interested in the proposals for unitary local government, including local residents, town and parish councils, businesses and the voluntary and community sector. As set out in the invitation letter, areas must demonstrate how the local community has been engaged in developing proposals.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill includes provisions to change the available governance arrangements for councils in England. Councils currently operating the committee system will be required to move to the leader and cabinet model within one year of the relevant provision commencing, without holding a referendum. The Bill also prevents the creation of any new local authority mayoralties operating the mayor and cabinet executive governance arrangement. Councils already operating this model will remain able to hold referendums on whether or not to move to the leader and cabinet model.

Referendums will not be required when establishing future strategic authorities. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will see Government working in partnership with leaders of the constituent local authorities, as elected representatives, to set up new Strategic Authorities.