Catastrophic dangers await Burnham’s push for English devolution | Phillip Inman
Phillip Inman argues that Andy Burnham's push for English devolution, alongside Angela Rayner's parallel overhaul of local government, is heading into a messy and slow process fraught with risk. He warns that Whitehall's reluctance to cede money and power will produce piecemeal deals, such as one for Cornwall lacking a promised mayor, while Rayner's reorganisation into unitary authorities is bogged down by judicial reviews and disputes over how councils' debts should be divided.
Several councils, including Hertfordshire, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Lincolnshire, have written to Rayner questioning how decisions on their areas were reached, and Essex is being split into five unitary authorities against officials' recommendation of three, fuelling accusations of political gerrymandering. Although ministers hope disputes will be settled by Christmas ahead of new elections next May, Inman contends the reforms, estimated to cost £2bn upfront, rest on an unproven belief that restructuring alone improves services or boosts growth, echoing the Institute for Government's warning that structural change is not inherently valuable without deeper reform of how public bodies work together.
In short
- English devolution and council reorganisation face delays, disputes and legal challenges
- Councils including Essex, Hertfordshire and Lincolnshire contest Rayner's restructuring decisions
- Author says £2bn reform lacks evidence it will actually improve services
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Devolution and reorganised councils could give local leaders clearer accountability and more control over decisions affecting their communities, while allowing services and budgets to be coordinated across sensible local areas. Supporters may argue that the disruption and upfront costs are justified if the changes enable more responsive government and stronger local growth over time.
The case against
The reforms risk consuming time and public money in boundary disputes, legal challenges and administrative upheaval, while leaving Whitehall’s control of funding and power largely intact. Critics can reasonably question whether restructuring alone will improve services or growth, especially when contested decisions may weaken trust and distract councils from deeper cooperation and reform.
Explained simply
English devolution is the transfer of some decisions and powers from central government in Westminster to local areas. Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, has called for more powers for English regions, while Angela Rayner has been leading plans to reorganise many councils into larger unitary authorities responsible for local services.
The changes raise questions about how much control and funding Whitehall will hand over, how new councils should be drawn, and how existing debts should be shared. They matter because they could reshape who makes decisions about local services and how public money is spent.
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