Council Leader’s statement on English Devolution White Paper

Published: Thursday, 19 December 2024

The Leader of Oadby & Wigston Borough Council, Cllr Samia Haq, has issued a statement following the Government’s publication of the English Devolution White Paper:

“While it will take time to fully assess the implications of the English Devolution White Paper the district and borough councils in Leicestershire have long since welcomed the opportunity for devolution of powers and funding from central government to the regions and recognise this is the best way to secure investment and stimulate economic growth within our communities.

“As Leader of Oadby & Wigston Borough Council I think the establishment of a Mayoral Combined Authority for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland would represent a pragmatic and positive step towards achieving this, but I remain open-minded about the possibility of joining the existing East Midlands County Combined Authority either now or in the future.

“While I acknowledge that the Government has also signalled its intention to create simpler local government structures, I consider the White Paper does not properly recognise the vital role district councils have played in delivering services to their communities and businesses. It is therefore important that any work to consider the future size and shape of local government is not rushed, and that any new arrangements remain sufficiently local and connected to their local areas. I welcome the opportunity to explore this further with our local authority partners, stakeholders, and communities, and would want to ensure that any new model for our region is locally led and widely supported. It is absolutely vital that this process is collaborative and does not become a damaging distraction or undermine the critical public services we provide.

“Whilst I remain open-minded to reform, I am concerned that the White Paper creates an arbitrary expectation that any new councils should have a minimum population of 500k. This is bigger than most existing councils and is far too large, and fundamentally, would be far too remote from our rural communities, with people potentially living up to 50 miles from their town hall. We have to keep the local in local government and ensure any reforms do not undermine local democracy and access to local services.

“I will be keen to explore these important issues with our local government partners over the coming weeks, and throughout will ensure that the views and needs of our communities are at the heart of everything we do.”