Consultation outcome

Cumbria devolution consultation response

Updated 17 July 2025

Introduction

The government ran a statutory public consultation on the proposal to establish a Cumbria Mayoral Combined Authority which would include the local government areas of Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. The consultation ran for 8 weeks.

The purpose of this consultation was to gather evidence and information on the effects of establishing a Mayoral Combined Authority across this area. The results of this consultation form part of the assessment by the Secretary of State of whether the statutory tests to establish the proposed Cumbria Mayoral Combined Authority (CMCA) have been met.

The statutory tests are as follows: 

a) is likely to improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of some or all the people who live or work in the area

b) is appropriate having regard to the need

         (i) to secure effective and convenient local government   

         (ii) to reflect the identities and interests of local communities   

c) that a public consultation has been carried out and no further consultation is necessary

Consultation process

The government undertook an 8-week public consultation from 17 February to 13 April 2025 to engage and seek responses from a diverse range of interested parties. This included councils, public sector bodies, parish and town councils, local businesses, voluntary sector groups, and local residents. Consultation responses could be submitted through an online form, or in writing by email or post.

To promote awareness of the consultation, the government undertook a series of engagement and promotional activities, including:

• issuing a press notice at the start and towards the end of the consultation for local and regional media
• the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution visited Cumbria on 27 February and met local leaders and other stakeholders
• a social media advertising campaign promoted the consultation on Facebook and Instagram; it received 768k impressions
• physical assets were distributed (1,000 flyers, 200 posters and 100 hard copy consultation documents)

Officials from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government ran an in-person event on 27 March in Penrith. Officials attended a number of stakeholder-run online events to provide information on the consultation, including with:

• Cumbria University
• Cumbria Chamber of Commerce
• ACT (Action with Communities in Cumbria)
• Westmorland and Furness Youth Council

The two prospective constituent councils also promoted the consultation, producing multiple news stories and social media posts encouraging involvement in the consultation. The two councils provided targeted information for partners and residents, as well as distributed consultation documents and publicity material through libraries, customer service centres, town halls, and other council services buildings.

Number of responses

Overall the consultation in Cumbria received 1,325 responses from individuals and organisations including:

• 1,236 from members of the public, and 89 from a range of organisations including the prospective constituent and other local councils, businesses, the voluntary and community sectors and academic institutions
• 1,313 of the responses were received online, whilst 11 responses were via email and 1 via post

Summary of responses

Opinions were divided across respondents and between themes set out in the consultation. Some respondents stated that the proposal could attract investment, amplify the region’s national presence and bolster economic growth. Many said the proposal would provide strategic leadership and improve transport, housing, and skills. Respondents highlighted potential benefits for key sectors such as clean energy and sustainable tourism and noted the opportunity to further protect the natural environment. Some respondents expressed concern about whether a CMCA could sufficiently represent the diverse needs of Cumbria’s urban and rural areas and queried how responsibilities would sit between the CMCA and the existing councils to avoid duplication and not reintroduce the local government system that was in place before local government reorganisation in 2023.

Respondents who were in favour of the proposal thought it would provide opportunities to:

• Achieve greater local control over services and investment: Respondents in favour of the proposal welcomed opportunities for tailoring economic, environmental and infrastructure initiatives specifically to Cumbria’s unique challenges and opportunities.
• Improve skills, employment, and housing: Respondents in favour of the proposal thought that devolving powers over skills provision, employment programmes, and housing development would allow the area to match local needs better, support young people into good jobs, and provide more affordable homes.
• Preserve and promote Cumbria’s natural environment and identity: Respondents in favour of the proposal expressed support for taking a stronger, more coordinated approach to environmental stewardship, protecting environmental assets, reducing emissions, and promoting sustainable tourism.
• Promote Cumbria’s distinct identity: Respondents in favour of the proposal supported the opportunity to promote Cumbria at national and international levels, strengthening local pride and economic resilience based on its environmental assets.
• Unlock economic growth and inward investment: Respondents in favour of the proposal agreed that a high-profile Mayor and streamlined governance could unlock significant new investment for Cumbria. The proposed CMCA was viewed as being able to advocate for the region with central government more effectively, and to offer an attractive proposition to investors, businesses, and funders.
• Integrate and coordinate services: Respondents in favour of the proposal thought that bringing together services including transport, housing, skills, and health under a single umbrella could lead to better coordination. This was seen as a way of creating economies of scale and improving outcomes for residents by aligning policies and services across Cumbria’s diverse communities.

Respondents who disagreed with the proposal expressed concerns about:

• The potential loss of local identity and influence: Respondents who disagreed with the proposal were concerned that decision-making could shift further away from small communities to a county-wide authority. There was a concern this could leave, for example, rural areas with a reduced voice or being underfunded in comparison to more urban areas.
• Centralisation: Respondents who disagreed with the proposal queried whether a mayoral model would risk centralising too much power in one individual or office, reducing democratic input from local communities. Some questioned whether a mayor could adequately represent Cumbria’s geographic diversity and local nuances. Some feared that politics, rather than local needs, would drive decision-making, and inequalities could worsen if the Mayor focused on high-profile projects.
• Cost and complexity: Respondents who disagreed with the proposal felt the benefits could be outweighed by the practical challenges and costs of setting up and maintaining the CMCA.

Summaries of responses by questions are included in Annex A.

Responses were received from a wide range of stakeholders and organisations, as outlined in Annex B. These include:

Prospective constituent councils

Prospective constituent councils noted the potential to drive inclusive economic growth and improve public services, welcomed the opportunity to build on existing collaboration and stressed the importance of adequate funding to address the particular needs of Cumbria. They raised their views on structural challenges and historic underinvestment that the CMCA would need to overcome.

Town and parish councils

Town and parish councils noted the advantages of regional coordination for attracting investment and improving services, but expressed concerns about potential loss of local voice and influence, with a concern that small towns and rural communities could be marginalised. Respondents stressed the importance of ensuring that grassroots governance continues to play a central role in decision-making. They highlighted the need to respect the distinctiveness of Cumbria’s diverse localities.

Businesses and business groups

Businesses and business groups generally welcomed the proposal, pointing to the opportunities for improved connectivity, skills investment, and promotion of Cumbria’s key economic sectors, including energy, tourism, and food production. They stressed that maintaining agility, ensuring efficient decision making, and involving the private sector directly in shaping regional economic strategies would be crucial to delivering sustainable growth.

Academic institutions

Academic institutions welcomed the opportunity for stronger collaboration between education providers, local government and business sectors. They recognised the potential to better align skills development, innovation, and economic growth strategies, particularly around key sectors such as green energy, digital technology, and advanced manufacturing. They called for universities and colleges to be meaningfully involved in regional planning to maximise their contribution to Cumbria’s economic and social future.

Charities and voluntary organisations

Charities and voluntary organisations stressed the importance of embedding social priorities at the heart of any new governance arrangements. Opportunities for better coordination of services, more strategic funding opportunities, and greater influence in regional planning were welcomed. Respondents called for structures that genuinely value community engagement, support grassroots innovation, and prioritised social inclusion to ensure that all parts of Cumbria benefit from future investment and development.

Government response

The government is grateful for the time and effort respondents took to respond to the consultation and provide informative views on the proposals.

We were pleased to see many of the key benefits of devolution were acknowledged by respondents. Our firm belief remains that devolution across England is fundamental to achieving the change the public expect and deserve, including growth, more joined-up delivery of public services, and politics being done with communities, not to them. Mayoral devolution lets Mayors use their mandate for change to take the difficult decisions needed to drive growth; their standing and soft power helps convene local partners to tackle shared problems; and they have a platform to tackle obstacles that require a regional approach. It means they have skin in the game and are accountable to their citizens.

Devolution allows for better coordination and more locally-made decisions across transport, skills and employment support, housing and planning, the environment and climate change, business and research support, and better join up of public services. Policies across skills, innovation, and infrastructure are much more effective when used to complement each other. In areas already benefiting from devolution, we have already seen the difference that can be made when local leaders and Mayors work together in the interests of the local population. It creates the right mix of local intelligence and capacity with strategic vision to deliver positive change.

We also heard the concerns expressed by respondents and we will continue to work with local leaders across the area and with the potential CMCA to address or clarify these.

We noted the concerns expressed on powers being moved further away from local people and communities, and their identities and interests, into a new layer of local government. This goes fundamentally counter to our goal for devolution: powers are transferred away from Westminster and London, and into the hands of local actors who understand the needs of local communities best. Devolution means policy can be tailored to local circumstances, based on a deep understanding of regional economies, giving communities a greater say in decisions that affect them.

The government will continue to encourage prospective constituent councils to engage with a wide variety of stakeholders across the area to ensure the needs of communities are reflected in the CMCA’s decision-making. Alongside actively listening to feedback on governance, we will continue to stress the importance of close engagement with those stakeholders that understand the needs and priorities of local communities, which could include town and parish councils. The CMCA will have responsibility for appointing non-constituent and associate members to provide particular experience and expertise and this could include district council representatives, business voices, charities and academic institutions.

Additionally, to enable effective working with the public, private and voluntary sectors, we will explore a wide-ranging legal power for Strategic Authorities to deliver in their areas of competence. We will also explore enabling Mayors to promote economic, social, and environmental aims and convene stakeholders with a corresponding duty on public authorities to respond.

In order to ensure that the new CMCA has democratic accountability to all communities, we want to ensure the Mayor has strong visibility and a firm democratic mandate to ensure accountability to local people. The government continues to firmly believe that a vital element of successful devolution is the ability for local residents to engage with and hold their devolved institutions to account. This will include, but is not limited to, the requirement to have an oversight and scrutiny committee, an audit committee, and a ‘Mayors Question Time’ for the public and the media to hold the Mayor to account. The current system of accountability and scrutiny is guided by the English Devolution Accountability Framework and Scrutiny Protocol, and the White Paper set out government’s intention to further improve accountability. Our intention remains to continuously improve the accountability system for devolution to ensure leaders and mayors are more accountable to the public for delivering change.

The government also noted concerns around funding and investment, including cost of the Mayoralty and new institution. Through devolved funding local communities are given the power to use their local knowledge to drive progress forward in their area, drive place-based economic regeneration, and increase local control over areas such as transport functions and devolution of Adult Skills Funding. The government is already working with prospective constituent councils and government will provide capacity funding to help setup the CMCA so it can deliver its priorities effectively. We will provide £1 million in Mayoral Capacity Funding in 2025-26, with future funding to be confirmed shortly. We will also confirm the 30-year investment fund the area will receive as a core part of the devolution offer shortly.

Next steps

Subject to the assessment on the statutory tests, the government will continue to work with Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council to establish the CMCA. If the constituent councils consent, the necessary secondary legislation will be laid in Parliament. If approved by Parliament, the Combined Authority would be established in early 2026, with the first mayoral election to take place in May 2027.

Annex A: Responses by questions

Note: the percentages presented in the tables below are rounded to the nearest whole number. Due to this rounding, they may not sum up to 100%

Question 1: To what extent do you agree or disagree that establishing a Mayoral Combined Authority over the proposed geography will deliver benefits to the area?

Respondents who agreed with the proposal said that there would be benefits in working together across a Cumbria geography. The prospective constituent councils cited the benefits of building on the existing joint working across a Cumbria-wide geography, provided the region’s rural needs were reflected. Some respondents, including businesses, felt that a Cumbria-scale approach would carry a stronger, more unified voice which would have greater influence with central government.

Some respondents were concerned that Cumbria was too large a geographic area to be represented through the CMCA, and whether it would deliver benefits for rural areas. Town and parish councils suggested that operating over such a large and diverse area could risk marginalizing more remote communities. Some charity and voluntary sector organisations questioned whether a single combined authority could effectively address the diverse needs of Cumbria’s population.

Table 1: responses to question 1

	Agree	Neutral	Disagree	Prefer not to say	Don’t know
Organisations	67%	13%	15%	3%	1%
Academic	100%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Business	74%	3%	21%	0%	3%
Unitary Council	50%	50%	0%	0%	0%
Other	68%	27%	0%	5%	0%
Parish Council	0%	0%	100%	0%	0%
Town Council	0%	100%	0%	0%	0%
Voluntary and community sector or charity	70%	10%	10%	10%	0%
Public	32%	7%	58%	1%	2%

Government response

For strategic decisions to drive growth, we need strong institutions at the right scale. The evidence is clear that to drive improved economic outcomes, we must devolve core levers over growth – like transport, skills, employment support and strategic planning – and align these across functional economic areas in which people live and work. Places have distinct economic networks where people and companies interact, which can be much bigger than individual towns or councils. Aligning economic policies at this scale can help deliver productivity, because specialisms develop over the wider economic area separate to the individual towns or councils within it – such as a sector specialism needing a new research institute, or regional transport network to connect to new homes. Many public services are also delivered across large areas. Devolution cannot maximise opportunities to bring these levers together unless devolved governance covers wider public service footprints too, so that services like health and skills can be brought together – meaning residents get more efficient services for their taxes. Where that alignment can be introduced, this will bolster the capacity of the state to deliver. This government firmly believes that directly elected mayors create visible leadership and greater accountability to deliver on the diverse needs of their local residents and a strong voice to represent their area on the national stage.

Rural areas face different challenges to those faced by existing urban CAs. The powers in the devolution White Paper, and the associated funding, including the Mayoral Investment Fund, can be applied to meet local priorities in rural areas, and represent the floor, not the ceiling of the government’s ambition for devolution.

The CMCA will also provide an opportunity to build on existing public service alignment across Cumbria, for example the police force and fire rescue authority. The government recognises the benefits that aligned geographical boundaries can have for improving coordination between public services The White Paper states that where mayoral geographies align with police force and fire and rescue geographies, Mayors will be, by default, responsible for exercising Police and Crime Commissioner and Fire and Rescue Authority functions. There is also an expectation that Mayors are appointed to Integrated Care Partnerships and are considered for the role of Chair or Co-Chair. The Mayor should also be engaged in appointing Chairs of Integrated Care Boards. This alignment will support more joined-up public service delivery so that services deliver for citizens in Cumbria.

Question 2: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposed governance arrangements for the Mayoral Combined Authority

Respondents who agreed with the proposed governance arrangements, including businesses, stated it would provide clearer leadership and accountability for Cumbria, with an elected Mayor acting a strategic figurehead and leader. Some reflected that the CMCA could result in stronger, more cohesive decision making with a structure that could support effective co-ordination. One prospective constituent council in particular viewed the proposed governance arrangements as appropriate and highlighted mechanisms to ensure democratic accountability, such as scrutiny committees and non-constituent and associate membership.

Those who disagreed expressed concerns about placing too much power in the hands of the Mayor at the expense of other forms of local democracy. Some had concerns that the proposal would risk a lack of transparency and accountability. Town and parish councils, for instance, felt that having only five members could lead to unrepresentative and distant decision making. Many charities and voluntary sector organisations stressed the importance of ensuring the charity and voluntary sector was represented in the governance arrangements for the new combined authority, given their deep understanding of particular local needs and communities. One prospective constituent council raised concerns over the proposed voting arrangements and the possible risk of one authority being able to outvote the other with the Mayor’s support.

Table 2: responses to question 2

	Agree	Neutral	Disagree	Prefer not to say	Don’t know
Organisations	58%	16%	21%	3%	1%
Academic	60%	40%	0%	0%	0%
Business	71%	6%	24%	0%	0%
Unitary Council	50%	0%	0%	0%	50%
Other	64%	14%	18%	5%	0%
Parish Council	0%	25%	75%	0%	0%
Town Council	0%	100%	0%	0%	0%
Voluntary and community sector or charity	50%	20%	20%	10%	0%
Public	28%	10%	59%	0%	2%

Government response

Directly elected Mayors creates visible leadership and greater accountability. Mayors have become vital local leaders, delivering on the promise of change in their area to drive growth, more joined-up delivery, and earning trust. Evidence from existing Mayoral areas in England shows that Mayors can use their mandate to change to take the difficult decisions needed, have the standing to convene local partners and tackle shared problems, have a platform for tackling the obstacles to growth that require a regional approach, are accountable to their citizens and represent their area on the national stage.

Mayors can find it impossible to do the basics, like pass a budget or implement an effective transport strategy, because unanimity amongst constituent councils has historically been needed. Deploying a veto can be a political device and not in the best interests of getting houses built or growing the local economy. This is why we the English Devolution Bill will set out simple majority voting, including the Mayor, as the default arrangement for most decisions.

The Combined Authority should work closely with a wide range of stakeholders across Cumbria to support the delivery of its work programme. This can be done formally in the CMCA’s governance structure through the appointment of non-constituent and associate members, who can provide particular expertise and experience. The appointment of these members will be a matter for the CMCA. Future opportunities for devolution and partnership working would also be explored with the proposed Combined Authority, informed by the local expertise of constituent authorities.

Question 3: To what extent do you agree or disagree that working across the proposed geography through the Mayoral Combined Authority will support the economy of the area?

Respondents who agreed with the proposal considered that a unified approach to economic policy and planning across Cumbria could support growth through, for example, more and better paid job opportunities. The prospective constituent councils, for instance, thought that alignment of housing, health, skills and transport to local needs would deliver economic benefits, although they also noted that sufficient funding was required. Some town and parish councils also acknowledged that improved co-ordination could bring about economic improvement. Charity and voluntary sector organisations also noted this, whilst stressing the importance of their involvement in any future economic strategy. Some, including businesses, felt that a Mayor would give the region a stronger voice, which could result in increased investment and funding which would deliver economic benefits.

Some respondents, including some businesses, expressed concerns that economic benefits could be outweighed by the costs of running a CMCA and could place a strain on council finances. Some felt that any economic benefits may not be felt by all communities and residents across Cumbria. Many town and parish councils, for example, raised concerns about whether areas outside of the major urban centres would truly feel the economic benefits.

Table 3: responses to question 3

	Agree	Neutral	Disagree	Prefer not to say	Don’t know
Organisations	65%	15%	16%	3%	1%
Academic	100%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Business	71%	6%	24%	0%	0%
Unitary Council	50%	50%	0%	0%	0%
Other	68%	23%	5%	5%	0%
Parish Council	0%	25%	75%	0%	0%
Town Council	0%	100%	0%	0%	0%
Voluntary and community sector or charity	65%	10%	10%	10%	5%
Public	33%	8%	56%	0%	3%

Government response

The government wants to build an economy that works for everyone, and to do this we need a new way of governing. To truly get growth in every corner of the country and put more money into people’s pockets, we must rewire England and end the hoarding in Whitehall by devolving power and money from central government to those that know their area best. 

Mayors will be equipped with a range of new powers and greater control of local funding across planning, infrastructure, transport, skills, business and energy, with strong and effective partnerships in place with councils and other partners to deliver the missions we have set out to transform the country. Alongside this, Mayors will have a statutory duty to produce Local Growth Plans, setting out a long-term vision for growth in their region over the next decade and a roadmap for how this can be achieved. 

The government acknowledges that the CMCA would need funding certainty to be able to plan for the long-term and get maximum impact from their spending. The 30-year investment funds will remain a core part of the devolution offer to the area, and this provides flexibility for the CMCA to address the particular needs of Cumbria as a diverse and rural area.

The government will also provide support through Mayoral Capacity Funding to help with the costs of establishing the CMCA.

Question 4: To what extent do you agree or disagree that working across the proposed geography through the Mayoral Combined Authority will improve social outcomes in the area?

Respondents who agreed with the proposal suggested that it could lead to greater efficiencies and join up in areas such as housing, skills and transport which could improve social outcomes, particularly where issues require solutions approached from a Cumbria-wide scale. Others noted that economic growth and social outcomes are interconnected and if the CMCA leads to improved economic performance that could improve social outcomes, including health, wellbeing and reduced deprivation, for residents and communities. The prospective constituent councils supported the opportunity to integrate health planning across areas of activity including economic strategy. Some businesses also noted the potential benefits of the health improvement duty to address social inequalities that exist in parts of Cumbria. Some town and parish councils noted the possible benefits of housing delivery with other services to deliver social improvements, and charities and voluntary sector organisations and academic institutions also spoke of the potential opportunities of more joined up health, skills and housing policies.

Some respondents said they were concerned whether the CMCA would focus more on more well off or urban areas at the expense of poorer or more rural areas – town and parish councils and some charities in particular raised these concerns. Some felt that social issues required very local interventions rather than of the scale of the proposed CMCA. Some businesses, for instance, felt that the CMCA would need to ensure it has a deep understanding of specific local needs. There was also an acknowledgement, including from the prospective constituent councils, of the importance of sufficient funding to deliver genuine improvements.

Table 4: responses to question 4

	Agree	Neutral	Disagree	Prefer not to say	Don’t know
Organisations	61%	19%	12%	3%	4%
Academic	100%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Business	68%	6%	24%	0%	3%
Unitary Council	100%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Other	64%	27%	0%	5%	5%
Parish Council	25%	25%	50%	0%	0%
Town Council	0%	100%	0%	0%	0%
Voluntary and community sector or charity	45%	30%	50%	10%	10%
Public	27%	12%	57%	0%	3%

Government response

Devolution means policy can be tailored to local situations, based on a deep understanding of England’s regional economies. It enables more decisions to be made by those who know their areas best, leading to better outcomes and a more efficient use of resources and giving communities a greater say in decisions that affect them.

Devolving powers in areas such as transport, skills, employment support and strategic planning, and aligning these across functional economic areas in which people live and work, can deliver social as well as economic benefits by, for example, putting health and wellbeing at the centre of place-based decision making. For example, the specific duty in relation to health in the devolution white paper, would ensure that health is a key priority in the exercise of the CMCA’s functions.

Existing authorities have used their devolved powers and funding to improve social outcomes. For instance, the West Midlands Combined Authority have established a homelessness taskforce, and York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority have set up a Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund and Carbon Negative Challenge Fund.

Mayors will also be able to appoint and renumerate commissioners to lead on key functions, giving them more flexibility in how they choose to deliver for their area. They will not be members of the Strategic Authority, and the roles would be expected to reflect areas of competence.

Other Combined Authorities have taken specific steps to retain focus on communities concerned about being overlooked. For example, the North East Combined Authority (NECA) has specifically designated a member of the leadership Cabinet with a Rural portfolio to ensure equality of attention across all areas of the region. Mayors will also be able to appoint and renumerate commissioners to lead on key functions, giving them more flexibility in how they choose to deliver for their area. They will not be members of the Strategic Authority, and the roles would be expected to reflect areas of competence.

Question 5: To what extent do you agree or disagree that working across the proposed geography through a Mayoral Combined Authority will improve local government services in the area?

Those who agreed said that a CMCA offered the opportunity to achieve economies of scale through bringing together certain policies and delivery into one body, allowing better co-ordination and service delivery in areas such as transport. The prospective constituent councils noted the potential benefits from co-ordinated economic planning, skills policy, transport and housing if sufficient funding was available. Academic institutions also discussed the potential for a CMCA to improve strategic Cumbria-wide delivery. Some respondents, including some businesses, stated that greater leadership and accountability through the Mayoral model could support improved service delivery.

Respondents who disagreed, including some charities or voluntary sector organisations, said that the proposal could create additional cost and bureaucracy whilst not delivering service benefits. Some town and parish councils expressed concerns about whether services would improve for rural communities. Some respondents also expressed concerns that introducing a CMCA shortly after the area had undergone local government reorganisation could bring about disruptions.

Table 5: responses to question 5

	Agree	Neutral	Disagree	Prefer not to say	Don’t know
Organisations	52%	24%	17%	3%	4%
Academic	80%	20%	0%	0%	0%
Business	62%	9%	26%	0%	3%
Unitary Council	50%	50%	0%	0%	0%
Other	55%	27%	5%	5%	9%
Parish Council	0%	25%	75%	0%	0%
Town Council	0%	100%	0%	0%	0%
Voluntary and community sector or charity	40%	35%	10%	10%	5%
Public	27%	10%	61%	0%	3%

Government response

This government is committed to resetting the relationship with local and regional government, empowering local leaders and Mayors to make the right decisions for their communities, and working together to grow an inclusive economy, reform public services and secure better outcomes. In other developed countries that introduced greater devolution, people were more satisfied with public service.

The proposed CMCA is distinct from the local government reorganisation which established Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council, and the CMCA will not lead on delivery of local services such as waste, social care and libraries. Instead, it will take on additional devolved powers, functions and funding, which previously have been held by central government, as set out in the devolution framework.

Evidence shows that, under the right conditions, devolution can help solve key challenges with respect to local government services: 

• on growth, devolution to capable local leaders at strategic scales has been linked to higher productivity meaning more money in people’s pockets
• when it comes to trust in politics, directly elected Mayors are the most recognisable local political figures, and people think more power should come down from national government
• in other developed countries that introduced greater devolution, people were more satisfied with public services

Question 6: To what extent do you agree or disagree that working across the proposed geography through a Mayoral Combined Authority will improve the local natural environment and overall national environment?

Respondents who agreed with the proposal said it would enable a unified and proactive approach to environmental issues. The prospective constituent councils noted that environmental policy should be a focus for the CMCA as an economic and social opportunity. They highlighted Cumbria’s world-class natural assets, its role in clean energy and tourism, and the potential for environmental leadership through mechanisms like the Local Nature Recovery Strategy and Net Zero partnerships. Both councils felt the CMCA could enhance environmental outcomes if devolved powers were appropriately tailored and coordinated. Some businesses noted the proposal could better protect Cumbria’s natural environment, particularly given its role in underpinning the visitor economy and farming sectors, and highlighted that it was a key economic asset that needed to be preserved.

Respondents who disagreed with the proposal questioned whether CMCA would have the practical ability or mandate to deliver environmental improvements. Some businesses emphasised the need to protect farming as an integral part of landscape maintenance, expressing concern that environmental agendas could undermine food production. Some charities or voluntary sector organisations argued that unless environmental duties are made statutory and adequately funded, ambitions may not be realised. Town and parish councils emphasised the importance of rural voices being adequately represented.

Table 6: responses to question 6

	Agree	Neutral	Disagree	Prefer not to say	Don’t know
Organisations	56%	18%	18%	3%	4%
Academic	80%	20%	0%	0%	0%
Business	62%	12%	24%	0%	3%
Unitary Council	50%	0%	0%	0%	50%
Other	73%	23%	0%	5%	0%
Parish Council	0%	0%	100%	0%	0%
Town Council	0%	100%	0%	0%	0%
Voluntary and community sector or charity	40%	20%	20%	10%	10%
Public	26%	14%	56%	0%	5%

Government response

Local, place-based environmental leadership is essential and the government is clear that the proposed CMCA would be crucial partner in achieving our clean power mission and support efforts to protect the natural environment and biodiversity of not only the local area but the whole of England. This includes through joint work with Great British Energy through the Local Power Plan to support the roll out of small-medium renewable energy projects at the local level. The government also recognises the unique strategic role that the CMCA could play in planning our future energy system by operating across a functional economic area. In doing so, the National Energy System Operator will engage with them as it develops Regional Energy Strategic Plans and provide a transparent route for local insights to inform energy system planning. Over time, we envisage the CMCA would be appointed the Local Nature Recovery Strategies responsible authority. 

In addition, the government is committed to establishing heat network zoning in England. Zoning coordinators within the proposed CMCA would be able to designate areas as heat network zones, enabling the most appropriate level of local government to assume the role of heat network zoning coordinator and play a key role in the delivery of heat decarbonisation.

Existing Combined Authorities have used devolved powers and funding to support their environmental objectives. For example, York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority launched a Carbon Negative Challenge Fund to support York and North Yorkshire’s ambition to become England’s first carbon negative region and have committed £7m funding to Net Zero project across their area. 

Future opportunities for devolution and partnership working will also be explored with the proposed CMCA. The CMCA can provide greater local leadership in responding to the impacts of climate change, and how rural communities will be considered in local policy decision making. This could be through the Mayoral Council, or the Council of Nations and Regions, giving CMCA a significant voice in influencing national policy.  

Question 7: To what extent do you agree or disagree that working across the proposed geography through the Mayoral Combined Authority will support the interests and needs of local communities and reflect local identities?

Respondents who agreed with the proposal said it will provide an opportunity to strengthen local empowerment and voice. They stated that shifting power from London to Cumbria would make government more responsive to community needs. They felt that the CMCA would best understand local issues and advocate for communities in a way that central government couldn’t. The prospective constituent authorities recognised that the size of the proposed CMCA means that the authority will need to be mindful of capacity and diversity of input into decision making, and that the mayor would need to demonstrate they are working for the whole of Cumbria.

Respondents who disagreed with the proposal were concerned that the proposals would erode local democracy, uncertainty about how community voices will influence decisions and fear that larger areas will dominate. Some noted that new structures might support major strategic goals but believed this could be at the expense of local identity and effective rural service delivery.

Table 7: responses to question 7

	Agree	Neutral	Disagree	Prefer not to say	Don’t know
Organisations	60%	18%	19%	2%	1%
Academic	100%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Business	62%	12%	26%	0%	0%
Unitary Council	100%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Other	73%	23%	0%	5%	0%
Parish Council	0%	0%	100%	0%	0%
Town Council	0%	100%	0%	0%	0%
Voluntary and community sector or charity	45%	25%	20%	5%	5%
Public	26%	8%	63%	0%	3%

Government response

A vital element of successful devolution is the ability for local residents to engage with and hold their devolved institutions to account – and local identity plays a key role in this. This is one of the clear criteria for sensible geographies government published in the English Devolution White Paper.

By pushing more power out of Whitehall, this government is undertaking major structural reform to deliver better democratic and economic outcomes for people and places across England. With more power devolved in England, people will see priorities for their area set locally, with policies tailored to needs and circumstances.

As mentioned earlier, this includes the selection of non-constituent and associate members, that can represent different regions and sectors, alongside scope for the public to hold the Mayor to account, not just via the ballot box, but at the Mayors Question Time.

Annex B: Consultation respondents

Respondents using the Citizen Space response form were asked to self-report on their respondent type.

Respondent type	Responses
Academic	5
Business	34
Unitary Council	2
Parish Council	4
Town Council	2
Voluntary and community sector or charity	20
Other	22
Public	1,236