Last week saw the final local government elections before the next general election. Amongst councillors changing places - or staying put - across the country, these elections ushered in two new metro mayors: one for York and North Yorkshire, and one for the East Midlands. This brings the proportion of the English population living under a mayor to 50%, and demonstrates the shifting model of English local government and its relationship to central government. This changing relationship is most pronounced in the cases of the two 'trailblazer' devolution agreements for Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. These give mayors a single departmental-style funding pot from 2025, rather than multiple different earmarked streams of funding with strings attached - a step change in the way local areas in England decide how to spend on policy.

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6 May 2024

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What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth

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https://whatworksgrowth.org/insights/with-great-power-comes-great-responsibility-for-evaluation/

This Blog is published under the centre's Urban programme.