England is quietly replacing its local government with a new layer of strategic authorities.

Science · Published 20 October 2026 · Updated 21 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Since 2011, England has been transforming its regional governance through Combined Authorities and Combined County Authorities. These bodies pool power across council boundaries to manage transport, housing, and economic development. By 2026, the government aims to expand this model to cover the entire country, fundamentally reshaping how local regions operate.

The modern era of English strategic governance began in 1986 with the abolition of metropolitan county councils, leaving major urban areas without a unified regional body. After the Greater London Authority was established in 1999, the government struggled to find a viable model for the rest of the country. A 2004 referendum on regional assemblies in the North East failed, effectively ending that approach. The breakthrough arrived in 2010 when the government accepted a proposal for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, created under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009. This allowed local councils to voluntarily pool powers and receive devolved functions from central government.

The landscape evolved further with the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, which introduced Combined County Authorities (CCAs). While Combined Authorities (CAs) can include various local council types, CCAs are restricted to upper-tier authorities like county councils and unitary authorities. These bodies are designed to be more robust than informal partnerships, allowing for ambitious joint decision-making. By June 2026, there were 13 CAs and six CCAs. Many of these are led by directly elected mayors who participate in the Mayoral Council for England, a structure intended to streamline regional accountability and service delivery.

The shift toward these authorities is not merely administrative; it represents a fundamental change in fiscal and operational autonomy. Under 'trailblazer deals' initiated in 2023, authorities like Greater Manchester and the West Midlands are treated similarly to government departments, receiving multi-year single settlements rather than competing for individual grants. This transition is overseen by the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, which designates these bodies as strategic authorities. As they gain competence over areas ranging from climate change to public safety, the ultimate goal is for this framework to eventually encompass the entirety of England.

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