Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Accepted
Publish a clear vision for local government's role in the state by end of 2025.
Recommendation
The Government must assess the role of local government and, by the end of 2025, publish its vision for local government’s role in the state, including whether they see its role changing as a result of reorganisation and devolution to Strategic Combined Authorities. This vision should be submitted to consultation. Decisions around local government made by central government, including reorganisation and any changes to services and funding, should be informed by this view of local government’s role. (Recommendation, Paragraph 16)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government announced a review of statutory duties placed on local government, launched on 3 July 2025, which will explore simplification and improvement of requirements over approximately one year, with recommendations to be tested with councils.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
11. The former Deputy Prime Minister set out at the Local Government Association (LGA) Conference on 3 July how this Government is building a modern state, built on the foundations of strong local government, and the steps we are taking, with the sector, to deliver necessary reforms. We will continue to engage councils and strategic authorities across all of this work, including on funding reform.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗