Devolution

Details about our plans for devolution in Greater Essex

Friday 10 January 2025

Following an extraordinary Full Council meeting held on Friday 10 January 2025, Essex County Council, alongside Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council, will write to the government to request inclusion on the government’s Priority Programme for Devolution.

The councils will now formally put a request to the Minister for Local Government to be part of the Programme, which includes a commitment to local government reorganisation, and request the postponement of local elections in May in the Thurrock Council and Essex County Council areas.

Tuesday 7 January 2025

An extraordinary Full Council meeting will be taking place on Friday 10 January 2025. In it, Councillors will discuss whether Essex County Council should take part in the Government’s devolution priority programme, which includes local government reorganisation and the potential for new unitary (all-purpose) council structures to be introduced across Essex. The Government will also make a determination as to whether in the light of our submission, they will postpone the Essex County Council elections in May 2025 for an initial period of one year.

For more information on devolution and local government reform please take a look at this Q&A.

What is devolution?

Devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from central government to local authority level. 

It is important because decisions are made closer to the local people, communities and businesses they affect.

Devolution would provide greater freedoms and flexibilities for councils to work more effectively to improve public services and outcomes for residents and businesses.

Does this mean we will get a mayor?

The Government’s intention is for devolution to be accompanied by a directly elected mayor. If this happens in Essex, we expect the mayor will ultimately take on the current role of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex. 

What does devolution look like?

A devolution deal would create a new single body, known as a strategic authority, for Essex. It would initially take the form of a combined county authority.

The strategic authority will be a separate legal entity with its own board and governance arrangements.

These arrangements will be agreed prior to the first mayoral election, which would take place in May 2026.

The key functions of the strategic authority would include strategic transport functions, such as support for buses, trains and concessionary fares, skills and driving economic growth.

What is Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)?

The government’s long-term vision is for simpler council structures, which make it clear who is responsible for services.

At present, in the Essex County Council area, services are split between the County Council, and one of 12 city, borough or district council in a ‘two-tier’ arrangement.

The government believes reorganising and simplifying councils can drive economic growth while delivering better public services. 

Reorganisation would see all 15 councils in Essex – including all those in the ECC area, along with Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council which are already unitary councils - replaced with a number of all-purpose ‘unitary’ authorities who are responsible for all local authority services in their area.

What does LGR look like?

All 15 councils in Essex would be replaced with a number of unitary councils. 

The white paper has stipulated the government thinks the optimum size for new unitary councils to be at least 500,000 people. However, there may be some flexibility on this, and each case will be considered on its own merits. 

Greater Essex has a population of around 1.9 million, meaning – based on the maths - the most likely number is three or four unitary councils. 

Do we have to reorganise, or is it voluntary?

Reorganisation isn’t mandatory but the White Paper sets out the case for it and invites places to come forward with proposals. 

What would devolution mean for us? 

In Essex, devolution could mean:

  • Better co-ordination of transport across the whole county
  • Better skills because money is spent locally rather than by national government
  • Better jobs because this will be co-ordinated by a mayor
  • A stronger voice for Essex with central government – at the moment the Government finds it difficult to know how to talk to Essex as a place
  • More strategic control over planning and housing.

You can read more about devolution in other areas

When can we expect this to take place?

We have a very tight deadline of 10 January 2025 to confirm if we wish to join the Government’s Devolution Priority Programme. If we do, we are committed to establishing a Mayoral Strategic Authority by May 2026. Mayoral elections would take place in that month.

As far as LGR is concerned, we would also be committed to reorganisation. We would have to submit interim plans in March 2025 followed by full plans in the autumn. Timelines for the remainder of the LGR process are subject to the proposals received. However, elections to shadow authorities could be expected in May 2027 following the 2026 consultation, with new unitaries going live in April 2028.

Is it true Essex is likely to be one of the first councils to be considered for this new approach?

There is a Devolution Priority Programme for places that commit to a Mayor by May 2026 and commits us to local government reorganisation. For us to take part in this we need to let the Government know by 10 January 2025.

Does this mean the county council elections in May 2025 will be postponed?

We have to decide by 10 January whether to seek postponement of the elections and the Secretary of State will then consider such a request quickly afterwards.

Jim McMahon, Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, has said he is minded to postpone them until May 2026 for those authorities taking part in the devolution and reorganisation process. We will know in early in the new year if the May 2025 elections in Essex will be postponed.

Any postponement would be for an initial period of a year, but if proposals to reorganise local authorities are agreed, it is likely that there would be no further elections to ECC until its abolition, other than by-elections. 

What happens next?

Councillor Jillian Reeves, the Chairman of Essex County Council (ECC) has called an extraordinary Full Council meeting to discuss whether to submit an expression of interest for the priority programme and commit formally to local government reorganisation. This will take place at 10am on Friday 10 January 2025. Read more about our response to the Government's English Devolution White Paper. 

All 75 Essex county councillors will take part in the debate and vote on the proposal. The final decision for ECC will be taken by council Leader, Councillor Kevin Bentley, following this.

 The decision is a proposal to:

  • commit to take part in devolution priority programme. This would see a mayoral county combined authority established in April 2026 and a mayoral election take place in May 2026
  • commit to local government reorganisation 
  • request the Secretary of State to postpone our 2025 elections for an initial period of one year.

Do residents have a say in this?

The Government has said it will be responsible for consultation activity on devolution in Spring 2025. This will be supported by local activity in Essex to reinforce messages with local audiences including residents and businesses.

Where can I find out more?

Tuesday 1 October 2024

Expression of interest 

We have submitted an expression of interest to the government for a devolution deal for Essex. 

This marks the beginning of a dialogue with the government about what devolution for Essex would mean.

Devolution would let local councils make important decisions closer to where residents live and work.

This means powers moving away from Westminster and towards local places.

Decisions would be tailored to the needs of Essex residents, places and businesses. This could result in stronger economic and productivity growth across the region.

The government has not yet set out its focus for devolution. However, benefits could include:

  • a stronger transport network based on local needs
  • investment to put priorities of local businesses first
  • a skills base suited to business needs
  • development of more homes and infrastructure

We are now working closely with Southend-on-Sea City Council, Thurrock Council and the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC), alongside our city, borough and district councils, to explore what a devolution deal could look like.

Stay up to date on devolution for Essex.