Bedfordshire: Combined Authorities
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement on Local Government Reorganisation of 3 June 2025, HCWS676, for what reason Bedfordshire has not received funding to support development of proposals for a Mayoral Combined Authority.
Answered by Alison McGovern
Local government reorganisation and the establishment of mayoral combined authorities through devolution are separate processes. While funding was made available for the 21 two-tier areas developing proposals for new unitary authorities as part of local government reorganisation, funding for devolution is not available until strategic authorities are being established.
Bedfordshire will not receive funding to deliver local government reorganisation as it is already an area with unitary authorities. Bedfordshire is also currently not part of a mayoral strategic authority. Next steps for future waves of devolution will be confirmed in due course, subject to further ministerial decisions and local conversations.
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