# Tory and Reform mayors plan to hand tax rebates to local residents under Andy Burnham’s devolution drive

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/tory-and-reform-mayors-plan-to-hand-tax-rebates-to-local-residents-under-andy-burnhams-devolution-drive/
- Published: 2026-07-30T07:51:53+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-26T04:39:28+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16015795/Tory-Reform-mayors-plan-hand-tax-rebates-local-residents-Andy-Burnhams-devolution-drive.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- Tory and Reform mayors plan tax rebates instead of infrastructure spending
- Sharp divergence from PM's intended devolution and public investment agenda
- Scepticism remains over whether budget constraints allow actual delivery

## Summary

The Prime Minister is set to announce plans giving mayors a share of income tax revenue and potentially devolving business rates as part of his devolution agenda. However, instead of using these powers for infrastructure investment, Tory and Reform UK mayors are planning to hand tax rebates to local residents, representing a significant divergence from the government's intended use of devolved powers to boost public services and investment.

Ben Houchen, the Tory mayor of Tees Valley, is planning to create a rebate scheme to return money to residents' pockets and is already discussing the structure with the Treasury. Reform UK mayors Luke Campbell (of Hull and East Yorkshire) and Andrea Jenkyns (of Greater Lincolnshire) are also exploring similar plans, each citing a desire to make their regions more competitive and reward local taxpayers. A government source expressed scepticism about whether mayors can deliver these rebates given budget pressures and past broken promises, though a think tank researcher pointed to the success of business rates devolution in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands as evidence that broader fiscal devolution could work.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.