NEW SUBSTACK: Reform’s pledge to let Havering “exit London” grabbed headlines — but it can’t happen under current rules. There’s no route for a borough to simply leave Greater London without legislation and a wholesale reorganisation of governance, policing and transport.
But the real story isn’t whether Havering or Bromley can leave. It's that London’s borders have always been political and contested. From the creation of the London County Council in 1889 to the Herbert Commission in 1960, debates over where London begins and ends are nothing new.
NEW SUBSTACK: Reform’s pledge to let Havering “exit London” grabbed headlines — but it can’t happen under current rules. There’s no route for a borough to simply leave Greater London without legislation and a wholesale reorganisation of governance, policing and transport.
Yesterday MHCLG published detailed - indeed prescriptive - statutory guidance on appointing a Mayoral Commissioner (Deputy Mayor): www.gov.uk/government/p...
There's no provision whatsoever that would allow any of it, is there Ed? I am sure I know the answer.
Another Brexit on the cards, as Reform suggests Bromley should leave London. Reform has suggested Havering will have a referendum on leaving London if Reform wins there too.
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
I missed that York and North Yorkshire CA is seeking Established Status: yorknorthyorks-ca.gov.uk/york-and-nor...
Good news: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CA is applying for Established Status.
Next stop: West of England, which is eligible for Established Status from September 2026?
NEW SUBSTACK: The second column in my Devolution Revolution series is out. I’ve started building an Ideas Bank — a running list of practical proposals to push power out of Whitehall and into places.
New Government amendment to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill:
"This would prevent elections of English principal councils from being delayed by SI for more than 53 weeks for reasons which relate to a process of local government re-organisation".
• Freeing up public sector assets for local use
• Devolving waste, tolls — and even cattle grids
More to come next week.
jackshaw.substack.com/p/devolution...
I’ll explore many of these in more detail in future columns. For now, the aim is to bring them together in one place.
This week’s additions include:
• Letting strategic authorities shape public service boundaries
• Making data-sharing the default
NEW SUBSTACK: The second column in my Devolution Revolution series is out. I’ve started building an Ideas Bank — a running list of practical proposals to push power out of Whitehall and into places.
I applaud Green candidates pledging to explore inventive ways of running public services, but setting an illegal budget is - as the name suggests - illegal. Councillors cannot simply jettison their responsibilities.
I'll write about local election pledges in my next Substack!
The Conservative Party reportedly wants to introduce a Protection of Public Services Bill to prevent local authorities from introducing a four-day working week, as South Cambridgeshire has.
www.lbc.co.uk/article/cons...
Fact of the day from Rallings and Thrasher in the Local Government Chronicle: Labour performed well in London in 2022 attaining its highest share of seats in the boroughs since 1971.
It's slightly bonkers, though I assume they are indicative!
Suffolk:
Norfolk:
Essex:
The House of Commons Library has published maps of the proposed boundaries for new local authorities which will hold their first elections in May 2027 and take on their full powers in April 2028.
Hampshire:
Both Essex and Suffolk have now suggested they will bring legal challenges over the Government's re-organisation decisions. Whether they do is another matter, but one to keep an eye on.
It's not abnormal and reminds me of something I previously wrote for the New Statesman:
Today I read about the Conservative's plan for a National Pothole Portal to make it easier for the public to report potholes. Backed with £112.5 million, the Conservatives would then deploy "hundreds" of road-repair vehicles. Why would this succeed when billions to local authorities has failed?
If you’ve set out the case for further devolution, or want to signpost me to a report that you’ve written or an idea you've read, I’d love to hear from you.
I’m exploring the symbolic to the substantive, including what increasing the Warburton Toll Bridge by 88p tells us about devolution.
NEW SUBSTACK: I’ve launched a new Substack series — Devolution Revolution — with an ambitious goal: to identify, map and analyse the many proposals for further devolution put forward over the past decade.
So far I’ve crowdsourced 49 recommendations, but I know there are more out there.
Thanks David - I've got 49 recommendations so far!
I have just received a two-word text: "cattle grids".
