Policy paper

Secretary of State’s Annual Report on English Devolution 2024-25

Published 14 October 2025

Applies to England

Presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 1 of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016

October 2025

1. Introduction

1.1. This Annual Report on English Devolution has been laid before both Houses of Parliament by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government pursuant to Section 1 (Devolution: annual report) of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 (‘the 2016 Act’).

1.2 The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (‘the EDCE Bill’) proposes changes to the 2016 Act to reflect the new framework-based approach and the category of Strategic Authorities being enshrined in law. Strategic Authorities will typically be either combined authorities, combined county authorities, the Greater London Authority or in some cases a single local authority. This report therefore fulfils the requirements of both the 2016 Act and the EDCE Bill, in order to represent how this report will look should the Bill become law in its current form.

1.3. This Annual Report brings together updated information about Strategic Authorities established by the government between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025.

1.4. These Strategic Authorities, in response to proposals from areas, are the result of agreements in which the Government undertakes to devolve powers and budgets to an area through the devolution framework, as set out in Section 6 and due to be enshrined in law via the EDCE Bill.

1.5. Devolution within England aims to provide local areas with the levers they need to boost productivity in local economies and to improve and integrate public services.

1.6. This report covers the work of the government in 2024 to 2025. This period covers the change of government following the July 2024 general election and the publication of the English Devolution White Paper, which introduced significant proposed changes to the approach, framework and structure of devolution in England.

1.7. Previous iterations of this report have re-published the English Devolution Accountability Framework (EDAF). From this iteration onwards, the EDAF will no longer be re-published alongside this report and will instead be updated on a regular basis as updates are needed.

2. Areas of the country where Strategic Authorities have been established

Legislative requirement: Section 1 (2)(a) of the 2016 Act requires the Report to provide information on the areas of the country where agreements have been reached.

Clause 19 (2)(a) of the EDCE Bill (as introduced) requires the Report to include information on the areas of the country where Strategic Authorities have been established.

2.1 On 5 February 2025, four new Strategic Authorities were established, including the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority (HEYCA), the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA), the Lancashire Combined County Authority (LCCA), and the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (DTCCA). Two of these, HEYCA and GLCCA, also held their inaugural mayoral elections on 1 May 2025.

2.2 Alongside their agreement, the LCCA has committed to undertake a review to explore all governance models that reflect the geography, economy and political landscape of the area.

2.3 HEYCA and GLCCA have also committed to undertake a review of their governance and geography in the third year of the mayors’ term. The review will report on the effectiveness of partnership arrangements in delivering outcomes which reflect the unique nature of the Humber area.

2.4 In February 2025, the government announced the Devolution Priority Programme (‘DPP’) as part of its commitment to extending devolution to more areas across England. The DPP aims to deliver new Mayoral Strategic Authorities to the quickest possible timelines.

2.5 Following an expression of interest (EOI) process, six areas were considered to have met the criteria set out in the English Devolution White Paper and were invited to join the programme. These areas included Cheshire & Warrington, Cumbria, Greater Essex, Hampshire & the Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk, and Sussex & Brighton.

2.6 As of May 2025, 51.49% of England is covered by mayoral devolution. Taking into account the devolution agreements made in the reporting period, with the DPP the proportion of England covered by devolution (mayoral and non-mayoral) will rise to 77%.

3. Areas that have submitted proposals for a Strategic Authority but where agreement has not yet been reached

Legislative requirement: Section 1 (2)(b) of the 2016 Act requires the Report to provide information on the areas of the country where proposals have been received by the Secretary of State and negotiations have taken place, but agreement has not yet been reached.

Clause 19 (2)(b) of the EDCE Bill (as introduced) requires the Report to include information on the areas of the country where proposals have been received but he Secretary of State for establishment of a strategic authority and negotiations have taken place, but agreement has not yet been reached.

3.1 In July 2024, the Deputy Prime Minister invited all areas without an existing devolution agreement to work with government to deliver on its ambition to see the whole of England covered by a devolution agreement.

3.2 Published in December 2024, the English Devolution White Paper set out further details on how the government aims to widen and deepen devolution across England. The White Paper announced the new Devolution Priority Programme, providing a fast-track route to mayoral devolution for those areas that were ready to come together under sensible geographies which meet the criteria set out in the White Paper.

3.3 Subsequently, the government received proposals to join the Devolution Priority Programme from twenty-nine councils across ten areas of England. Of these areas, we took forward the six following areas: Cumbria (Westmorland and Furness and Cumberland Councils), Cheshire and Warrington (Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester and Warrington Borough Councils), Norfolk and Suffolk (Norfolk County and Suffolk County Councils), Greater Essex (Essex County Council, Thurrock Council and Southend-on-Sea City Council), Sussex and Brighton (East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove Councils), and Hampshire and the Solent (Hampshire County, Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight Councils).

3.4 The remaining councils – Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole, West Northamptonshire, North Northamptonshire, Bedford, Bedfordshire, Luton, Milton Keynes, Kent County and Medway Councils were unsuccessful in their applications, due to not sufficiently meeting the government’s English Devolution White Paper criteria and requirements on governance. Although these proposals did not meet the criteria set out at the time, conversations with these areas are ongoing.

4. Additional functions which have been conferred on Strategic Authorities

Legislative requirement: Section 1 (2)(c) of the 2016 Act requires the Report to provide information on functions exercisable by a Minister of the Crown that have been devolved as a result of agreements so as to become exercisable by a mayor for the area of a combined authority (including information as to any such functions that remain exercisable by a Minister of the Crown as a result of an agreement providing for functions to be exercisable jointly or concurrently).

Clause 19 (2)(c) of the EDCE Bill (as introduced) requires the Report to include information on Strategic Authorities which have moved from one category of Strategic Authorities to another category, and

Clause 19 (2)(d) requires information on additional functions which have been conferred on Strategic Authorities within each category of Strategic Authorities or on particular Strategic Authorities.

4.1 Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, four statutory instruments (SIs) were made to establish Strategic Authorities in England. These SIs were made on 4 February 2025 and established and conferred functions on the:

a. Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority (HEYCA)^{[footnote 1]}
b. Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (DTCCA)^{[footnote 2]}
c. Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA)^{[footnote 3]}
d. Lancashire Combined County Authority (LCCA)^{[footnote 4]}

4.2 These SIs conferred on all four authorities:

a. The functions of a Minister of the Crown specified in Section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003 (power to pay a grant to a local authority in England). The functions are exercisable by the Combined Authorities concurrently with a Minister of the Crown.

4.3 On HEYCA and GLCCA:

a. The function of the Secretary of State set out in Section 154(1) of the Transport 2000 Act (the ability to make grants to operators of eligible bus services).

4.4 And on HEYCA only:

a. The power to make an order under sections 198(2) (mayoral development corporations: establishment) and 200(6) (transfers of property etc to a Mayoral Development Corporation) of that act; and
b. The power of the Treasury to make regulations under paragraph 9(2) of Schedule 24 to that Act.

4.5 The following SIs were laid before Parliament on 24 February 2025 and provide for the conferral of certain adult education functions of the Secretary of State under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 to the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, the East Midlands Combined County Authority and Cornwall Council respectively.

a. The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (Adult Education Functions) Order 2025.^{[footnote 5]}
b. The East Midlands Combined County Authority (Adult Education Functions) Regulations 2025.^{[footnote 6]}
c. The Cornwall Council (Adult Education Functions) Regulations 2025.^{[footnote 7]}

5. Additional financial resources that have been devolved

Legislative requirement: Section 1 (2)(d) of the Act requires the Report to provide information on additional financial resources and public functions (so far as not falling within paragraph (c)) which have been devolved as a result of agreements.

Clause 19 (2)(e) of the EDCE Bill (as introduced) requires the Report to include information on additional financial resources which have been devolved on Strategic authorities within each category of Strategic authorities or on particular Strategic authorities.

5.1. During the reporting period, the Government worked to deliver the first Integrated Settlements for Greater Manchester and West Midlands Combined Authorities. The Integrated Settlement consolidates multiple government department funding pots alongside significant new funding flexibilities, allowing mayors to spend money in a way that better reflects their local priorities and empowering them to make the strategic policy decisions necessary to foster growth and better outcomes for their residents. See more information at the Integrated Settlement Policy Document.

5.2. As these were implemented at the start of the 25-26 financial year, no funds flowed through Integrated Settlements in 24-25 reporting period.

5.3. Additionally, at the 2024 Autumn Budget, the Government announced that mayors in West Yorkshire, the North East, Liverpool City Region, and South Yorkshire will be granted a full Integrated Settlement from the 26-27 financial year. This was followed by confirmation at the Spending Review that the Greater London Authority will also receive an Integrated Settlement in 26-27.

To note – due to rounding the individual figures listed in the tables below may not sum to the total amounts listed

5.4 Financial resources devolved to devolution deal areas between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025

Funding Stream	Description	Accountable Government Department	Place(s) affected and amounts received in 2024-25	Total amount paid in 2024-25	Payment Schedule	Comment
Capital Add-on Grant	Capital grant to support new devolution agreements, used to fund local priorities.	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)	Devon and Torbay (DTCCA): £16m Greater Lincolnshire (GLCCA): £28.4m (includes £8.4m Brownfield Housing) Hull and East Yorkshire (HEYCA): £24.4m (includes £4.6m Brownfield Housing) Lancashire (LCCA): £20m	£76m capital add-on funding plus £13m Brownfield Housing
Trailblazer devolution deal flexible funding	Upfront capital for economic regeneration projects	MHCLG	Greater Manchester (GMCA) - £5m West Midlands (WMCA) - £5m North East (NECA) - £35m	£45m	One off payment
Rough Sleeping, Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant	Funds local areas to implement evidence-based drug and alcohol treatment and wrap around support for people sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough, including those with co-occurring mental health needs	Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)	Greater London Authority (GLA): £58,783	£58,783	One off payment made on 6 March 2025	The grant was also made to 82 Local Authorities in 2024/25.
Adult Skills Fund	Devolved budget which funds qualifications and programmes for learners aged 19+.	Department for Education (DfE)	Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (CPCA): £12,180,451 GLA: £323,653,635 Greater Manchester (GMCA): £97,982,951 Liverpool City Region (LCRCA): £54,260,384 North East (NECA): £51,307,300 South Yorkshire (SYCA): £40,782,599 Tees Valley (TVCA): £31,092,576 West Midlands (WMCA): £134,107,583 West Yorkshire (WYCA): £67,545,460 West of England (WECA): £15,580,217	£828m	Annual payment Payments made by Section 31 grant
Free courses for Jobs	Ring-fenced funding in the financial year 2023-24 for the delivery of the Free Courses for Jobs Level 3 offer in devolved areas.	DfE	CPCA: £717,892 GLA: £15,369,559 GMCA: £1,612,238 LCRCA: £2,156,169 NECA: £2,888,796 SYCA: £538,245 TVCA: £1,862,312 WMCA: £3,619,847 WYCA: £3,779,234 WECA: £413,194	£33m	Annual payment Payments made by Section 31 grant.	FCFJ underspends from the previous academic year are taken off the FY payment. As such, the payments referenced will represent a deduction for underspends in the 2022/23 academic year
Implementation Funding	Funding relating to direct expenditure on activities to support the devolution of the Adult Skills Fund	DfE	Buckinghamshire: £56,250.00 DTCCA: £53,448.13 HEYCA: £41,344.77 GLCCA: £112,500.00 LCCA: £92,940.00 Surrey: £47,863.00 Warwickshire: £42,709.21 NECA: £48,903.62 Cornwall: £223,035.35 York & North Yorkshire (YNYCA): £278,683.45 East Midlands (EMCCA): £222,256.00 Norfolk: £176,670.24 Suffolk: £113,579.00	£1.51m	Payments made by Section 31 grant
Growth Hubs	Core funding for the provision of local Growth Hub services. Growth Hub funding has not been devolved but is given to MCAs as accountable bodies for their Growth Hub.	Department for Business and Trade	Buckinghamshire: £261,000 CPCA: £298,250 Cornwall & Isles of Scilly: £301,000 Dorset Council: £261,000 East Sussex County Council: £104,000 Essex County Council: £250,000 GLA: £470,000 GMCA: £420,000 Kingston upon Hull City Council: £261,000 Lancashire County Council: £298,250 Leicester City Council: £298,250 LCRCA: £420,000 Norfolk County Council - £165,000 NECA: £420,000 SYCA: £380,000 Suffolk County Council - £165,000 Surrey County Council - £240,000 TVCA: £261,000 Warwickshire County Council - £261,000 WMCA: £420,000 WECA: £380,000 WYCA: £420,000 YNYCA: £298,250	£11,999,625	Annual	Derbyshire County Council - £380,000, was the accountable body before the area became a CCA (East Midlands County Combined Authority) in March 2024, but as it wasn’t a functioning CCA then, Derbyshire was the accountable body that received the funding. The EMCCA is the accountable body for 25/26. Lincolnshire County Council - £316,625, despite Greater Lincolnshire becoming the County Combined Authority in early 2025. They will receive the funding from 25/26 onwards rather than Lincolnshire County Council
Create Growth Programme	The Create Growth Programme supports high-growth creative businesses and SMEs in twelve English regions outside London to scale up and become investment ready. This is delivered through three strands of support - bespoke business support, financial support and investor capacity building activities.	Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)	GMCA: S31 grant: £425,000 NECA: £425,000 WMCA: £425,000 WYCA: £425,000 WECA (for activity in the West of England, Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly: £425,000 WECA (for activity in Devon): £425,000	£2,550,000	The grant was devolved under a Section 31 non-ringfenced transfer (Local Government Act 2003), in the form of an annual payment, non-ringfenced grant. The annual payment was made in arrears, at the end of the Financial Year.
City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements	A 5-year, £5.7bn funding programme supporting investment in improved local transport networks.	Department for Transport (DfT)	GMCA: £179.8m LCRCA: £143m SYCA: £114.8m TVCA: £62.4m WECA: £94.7m WMCA: £211.5m WYCA: £167.2m NECA: £60.56m	£1,033.9m	Annual grant in accordance with agreed settlement profile.	Settlements incorporate funding from the Highways Maintenance Block (HMB), Potholes Fund, Integrated Transport Block (ITB) and the Transforming Cities Fund. Figures for Greater Manchester and West of England are slightly less than their settlement letters, reflecting their agreement to forego certain funding streams (including ITB and HMB) in return for retaining an increased proportion of business rates. The North East Combined Authority received a CRSTS allocation in Q4 24/25. Highways Maintenance and Integrated Transport Block funding for the North East was allocated from the region’s indicative £563m CRSTS allocation, this amounted to £88.2m of CRSTS funds paid to NECA in 24/25 through alternative funding streams.
Highways Maintenance Block (HMB) (including Potholes Fund and NN funding)	Funding for structural maintenance of the local highway network, including roads resurfacing, footways, cycleways, bridges, drainage, gullies, culverts, retaining walls, and lighting columns. HM funding for city regions is now within CRSTS, and HM allocations go to MCAs outside of CRSTS.	DfT	All eligible local highway authorities in England – some additional funding went to CRSTS and London LHAs Baseline funding: all eligible authorities except London and CRSTS Network North: all eligible authorities, including London and CRSTS	£1,125m (equivalent levels of HM were paid within CRSTS for the city regions) This figure was made up of: Potholes funding (£500m) HMB needs element (£500m) HMB incentive element (£125m)	Quarterly (with some exceptions due to devo deals or otherwise, such as BRR pilot)	As of 2025/26, there is no NN funding or Potholes Fund. All goes through HMB
Integrated Transport Block (ITB)	The ITB provides funding support to local authorities for transport capital improvement schemes worth less than £5 million.	DfT	CPCA:  £4.6m	£4.6m	Quarterly	CRSTS consolidates £90m across all eligible MCAs as equivalent funding to ITB. CPCA was the only devolved area to receive an ITB allocation in 24/25
Transforming Cities Fund	A £2.45bn funding programme supporting investment in public and sustainable transport infrastructure.	DfT	CPCA: £7,671,000 WYCA: £29,085,232	£36,756,232	Annual grant in accordance with agreed profile.	The total amount paid out from TCF in 2024/25 was £85,917,978 but this included other local authorities as well as combined authorities (total for CAs was £36.8m)
Bus Service Improvement Plan	Funding to deliver long- term improvements to bus services as set out in local transport authorities’ Bus Service Improvement Plans.	DfT	CPCA: £2,314,172 GMCA: £58,219,000 LCRCA: £17.086,974 NECA:* £56,849,586 SYCA: £10,971,353 TVCA: £5,380,477 WMCA: £49,422,147 WECA: £43,011,493 WYCA: £45,187,849	£288,443,051	One-off Grant	*NECA was not included in last year’s report, as they only became a Mayoral Combined Authority in 2024.
Local Authority Bus Service Operators Grant	Discretionary funding to local authorities in England to support bus services and the bus network in their area.	DfT	CPCA: £409,030 Transport for Greater Manchester (GMCA): £2,953,691 SYMCA: £1,127,171 WMCA: £1,792,259 WECA: £1,147,621 West Yorkshire Metro (WYCA): £2,063,592 North Yorkshire County Council (YNYCA): £1,039,698	Same	Annual payment
Bus Service Operators Grant Plus	Discretionary revenue support funding to local bus operators in England. Administration of operator funding in Greater Manchester and West Midland Combined Authorities is devolved.	DfT	WMCA: £11,000,000 GMCA: £6,500,000	Same	One-off grant (BSOG Plus is due to end in March 2026)
Devolved Commercial Bus Service Operators Grant	Discretionary revenue support funding to local bus operators in England. Devolved funding of commercial BSOG for GMCA to support its own bus services. DfT does not pay BSOG to operators for services run within GMCA’s borders.	DfT	GMCA: £13,150,811	Same	Annual grant
Transport for London funding settlement	CDEL for TfL’s capital programme	DfT	GLA: £82.2m	£82.2m	11/4/24: £5m 03/09/24: £44.1m 01/07/24: £33.1m
Policing Grants	Provided where mayor has Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) functions as part of a devolution agreement	Home Office	GLA: £2,216,320,030 Additional funding for Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) (London) - £185,339,439 GMCA: £554,379,106 YNYCA: £96,668,271 WYCA: £406,321,532 SYCA: £241,545,157	£3,700,573,535	12 monthly instalments	Payments made under Section 46 of the Police Act 1996. The figures for London are for the Metropolitan Police only and exclude the City of London Police. The additional funding for MOPAC is described as a ‘special payment to the Greater London Authority, on behalf of the Mayor’s Office for Policing’ in recognition of the forces’ distinct national and international capital city functions. The mayor of York and North Yorkshire and the mayor of South Yorkshire took on PCC functions on 7 May 2024.
Fire Pensions Grant	Funding provided for the specific pension costs by HMT. SCAPE rate interest led to higher employers’ contribution to pensions	Home Office	GMCA: £5,103,962.51 London Fire Authority (LFA) £16,090,166.30 North Yorkshire Combined Fire Authority (NYFA): £1,430,027.78			Paid to Fire and Rescue Authorities in devolved areas.
Protection Grant	Capability funding for FRAs to enact post-Grenfell fire safety	Home Office	Greater Manchester Combined Authority, £194,713.75 LFA: £2,534,377.32 NYFA: £242,131.25		2 payments (6 monthly)	Paid to Fire and Rescue Authorities in devolved areas.
Fire New Dimension Grant	Funds a number of teams across England that are trained and available to deploy to  catastrophic events (terror attacks, building collapse etc)	Home Office	Greater Manchester Combined Authority, £106,938.14 LFA: £3,635,599.07 NYFA: £34,184.45		4 quarterly instalments	Paid to Fire and Rescue Authorities in devolved areas.
Fire link Grant	Grant for Fire and Rescue Authorities/Services to enable them to provide national, inter-operable and resilient communications system to help respond to fire and rescue incidents.	Home Office	Greater Manchester Combined Authority, £106,938.14 LFA: £3,635,599.07 NYFA: £34,184.45		4 quarterly instalments	Paid to Fire and Rescue Authorities in devolved areas.
Investment Funds	Capital and revenue funding agreed through devolution deals for local investment.	MHCLG	CPCA: £20m EMCCA: £38m GMCA: £30m LCRCA: £30m NECA: £48m SYCA: £30m TVCA: £15m WMCA: £36.5m WECA: £30m WYCA: £38m YNYCA: £18m	£333.5m	30-year commitment for each area, commences from the signing of each individual agreement	Payments made by Section 31 grant.
Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land Fund (BIL) - devolved	The Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land Fund aims to create more homes by bringing more brownfield land into development. The Fund was allocated to 2 Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) as part of the devolution trailblazer deals	MHCLG	GMCA: £57.5m WMCA: £0	£57.5m	£250m over 4 years from 2023/24 to 2026/27 WMCA requested to move payment of funds for 24/25 to future years.	Payments made by Section 31 grant.
UK Shared Prosperity Fund	Devolved in line with policy	MHCLG	CPCA   £6,278,222 GLA: £91,855,782 GMCA: £53,322,466 LCRCA: £28,222,428 NECA: £29,942,442 SYCA: £24,741,277 TVCA: £27,170,211 WMCA: £56,220,848 WECA: £6,478,055 WYCA:£43,244,548	£367,476,279	£577,863,462 across the Spending Review period. £70m in 22-23, 140m in 23-24 and 367m in 24-25.

5.5 This section provides information on significant financial resources that are delivered by combined authorities but have not been devolved as a result of their devolution deals.

Funding Stream	Description	Accountable Government Department	Place(s) affected and amounts received in 2024-25	Total amount paid in 2024-25	Payment Schedule	Comment
Work & Health Programme	Funding for locally commissioned programmes aimed at long term jobseekers and claimants with disabilities	Department for Work and Pensions	GMCA: £5,751,121	£5,751,121		Payments are made by Section 31 grant. Funding determined by DWP on receipt of the contractual performance profiles and unit prices agreed between Greater Manchester and their suppliers.
Work & Health Programme	Funding for locally commissioned programmes aimed at long term jobseekers and claimants with disabilities	Department for Work and Pensions	Central London: £5,928,093	£5,928,093		Payments are made by Section 31 grant. Funding determined by DWP on receipt of the contractual performance profiles and unit prices agreed between Central London their suppliers.
Work & Health Programme	Funding for locally commissioned programmes aimed at long term jobseekers and claimants with disabilities	Department for Work and Pensions	East London: £3,974,871	£3,974,871		Payments are made by Section 31 grant. Funding determined by DWP on receipt of the contractual performance profiles and unit prices agreed between East London and their suppliers.
Work & Health Programme	Funding for locally commissioned programmes aimed at long term jobseekers and claimants with disabilities	Department for Work and Pensions	South London: £1,536,532	£1,536,532		Payments are made by Section 31 grant. Funding determined by DWP on receipt of the contractual performance profiles and unit prices agreed between South London and their suppliers.
Work & Health Programme	Funding for locally commissioned programmes aimed at long term jobseekers and claimants with disabilities	Department for Work and Pensions	West London: £2,586,217	£2,586,217		Payments are made by Section 31 grant. Funding determined by DWP on receipt of the contractual performance profiles and unit prices agreed between West London and their suppliers.
Pioneer	Funding for locally commissioned programmes aimed at long term jobseekers and claimants with disabilities	Department for Work and Pensions	GMCA: £1,654,236	£1,654,236		Payments are made by Section 31 grant. Funding determined by DWP on receipt of the contractual performance profiles and unit prices agreed between Greater Manchester and their suppliers.
Pioneer	Funding for locally commissioned programmes aimed at long term jobseekers and claimants with disabilities	Department for Work and Pensions	Central London: £2,439,171	£2,439,171		Payments are made by Section 31 grant. Funding determined by DWP on receipt of the contractual performance profiles and unit prices agreed between Central London their suppliers.
Pioneer	Funding for locally commissioned programmes aimed at long term jobseekers and claimants with disabilities	Department for Work and Pensions	East London: £1,283,384	£1,283,384		Payments are made by Section 31 grant. Funding determined by DWP on receipt of the contractual performance profiles and unit prices agreed between East London and their suppliers.
Pioneer	Funding for locally commissioned programmes aimed at long term jobseekers and claimants with disabilities	Department for Work and Pensions	South London: £425,993	£425,993		Payments are made by Section 31 grant. Funding determined by DWP on receipt of the contractual performance profiles and unit prices agreed between South London and their suppliers.
Pioneer	Funding for locally commissioned programmes aimed at long term jobseekers and claimants with disabilities	Department for Work and Pensions	West London: £1,126,610	£1,126,610		Payments are made by Section 31 grant. Funding determined by DWP on receipt of the contractual performance profiles and unit prices agreed between West London and their suppliers.
Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund (CWGLEF)	The CWGLEF (£70m over 2023/24 and 2024/25) was secured for the region from unallocated resources within the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games budgets. WMCA was responsible and accountable for ensuring the effective utilisation of these monies across the West Midlands region to support outcomes building on the legacy of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The fund was allocated over four thematic pillars of trade and tourism, heritage and culture, inclusive communities and wellbeing and sustainability.	DCMS	WMCA: £53,400,000	£53,400,000	Fund (£70m total) paid quarterly from July 2023 to March 2025.	£15.9m paid to WMCA in 2023/24.
Grant for UEFA Championships	DCMS provided funding to the GLA as two one-off grants for safety and security for the UEFA Champions League	DCMS	GLA: £1,401,576.65	£1,401,576.65	This was a one off payment.
ATF5 (FY 24/25)	Funding supports local transport authorities with developing and constructing walking, wheeling and cycling facilities.	DfT/Active Travel England (ATE)	CPCA £1,607,209 EMCCA £1,698,416 GMCA £5,140,861 LCRCA £1,854,047 NECA £2,352,145 SYMCA £1,641,917 TVCA £810,303 WMCA £5,226,431 WECA £1,140,199 WYCA £4,211,759 City of York + North Yorkshire CC £490,191	£26,173,478	One off payments made Dec 2024/Jan 2025	City of York and N Yorks CC paid separately as Y&NY CA advise they were not ready to administer ATF5 funds.
Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Capital Fund	Capital funding to support local, public chargepoint installation. Funding was allocated to all LTAs including CAs.	DfT	CPCA: £5,437,000 GMCA: £1,615,800 LCRCA: £964,700 NECA: £15,829,000 SYCA: £891,500 TVCA: £659,600 WMCA: £1,454,900 WECA: £664,400 WYCA: £1,432,600	£28,949,500.	One-off allocated capital grant to commercialise and scale up local charging infrastructure. Payments were typically made in two stages, with 90% of allocated funding issued at initial approval stage and 10% of allocated funding issued following final approval and pre-tender. Therefore most CAs received 90% of their allocated funding in FY23/24. In total CAs received £98,101,000 through the LEVI Capital Fund.
Digital Inclusion 24/25 Underspend	£2million worth of underspend (RDEL) was repurposed via a competitive grant programme for MCAs. This was devolved to MCAs in line with a policy focused on local expertise, and as MCAs were able to design their interventions based on their expertise concerning local people’s needs and experience working in these communities. The use of direct awards to MCAs was the surest method for maximising impact in the short time available.	DSIT	LCRCA: Expert skills training and device provision in partnership with private sector. £75,000 GMCA: Schools’ digital participation programme. £1,000,000 EMCCA: Expanding the mapping of mobile coverage gaps in the region. £48,500 WMCA: Digital Skills training targeted according to need. £296,500 NECA: Support addressing awareness, skills, and access in the region. £280,000 GLA: Expanding the Get Online London service, tackling access and skills barriers and e-waste. £300,000	£2million	One-off programme.	Inclusion 24/25 Underspend
Rural England Prosperity Fund	The REPF is a rural top up to UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), providing allocations for eligible local authorities in England to help address the additional needs and challenges facing rural areas.  Eligible local authorities are responsible for delivery of the fund. They can invest according to local priorities in businesses and communities through capital grants.	MHCLG (see comment)	CPCA: £2,422,361 SYCA: £860,582 TVCA: £468,882 WECA: £620,957 WYCA: £1,925.625 Paid to Lower Tier Authorities: East Midlands: £2,649,829 North East: £4,915,886 York & North Yorkshire: £4,362,835	Total for all 8 areas: £18,215,758.75 NB. In addition to these 8 we provided funding to locations outside of MCAs	Annual payment. The REPF will provide £143m between 2023 -2026, this includes payments to both MCAs and other local authorities. The REPF is due to end in March 2026.	Category: The REPF would sit under category 1a. The fund is not devolved via devolution deals. Funding is provided directly to eligible local authorities; in some instances, this is MCAs. Accountable Gov Department:  As a top up UKSPF, funding was issued by MHCLG alongside UKSPF allocations. Funding is derived from the Defra budget, however, we transfer the funds (alongside accounting officer responsibility) to MHCLG each year
Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI)	The fund was not devolved. This funding to 4 Combined Authorities allowed for RSI-related interventions, plus the continuation of services to 3 of the Combined Authorities where we had previously funded the Housing First Pilots  (which ended in 2023/24) (GMCA, LCRCA and WMCA), plus we also funding RSI-related interventions across the capital (not related to the Housing First Pilots) for the GLA over the three years of the RSI (2022-25).	MHCLG	GMCA: £3,102,640 (Housing First Specific), of £4,927,803 (total RSI) LCRCA: £2,632,366 (Housing First Specific), of £3,046,272 (total RSI) WMCA: (Housing First Specific funding was paid directly to constituent LAs within WMCA area). Total RSI funding for WMCA: £420,630 General RSI Funding: £10,630,681 GLA (some of which paid to a join-bid with GLA and London Councils)	£19,025,385	The areas received funding via the Rough Sleeping Initiative grant in 2024/25, via 2 tranche payments. The RSI ended in March 2025 and was replaced by a broader, consolidated grant: the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant. The 4 CAs listed here has a roll-over of funding (same amounts as 2024/25).
Investment Zones	Delivered by CAs and consolidated into integrated settlements as they come on stream	MHCLG	EMCCA: £3.1m GMCA: £20.2m LCRCA: £25.9m NECA: £7.1m SYCA: £11.6m WMCA: £5.1m WYCA: £5.9m TVCA: £0 (payment rolled over)	£78.9m	All MCAs to receive envelope of £160m over 10 years. That envelope will be split between tax reliefs and flexible spend for East Mids, Liverpool, North East and West Mids.
Brownfield Housing Fund	The Brownfield Housing Fund aims to create more homes by bringing more brownfield land into development. The Fund is allocated to Mayoral Combined Authorities	MHCLG	EMCA: £8.4m GMCA: £17.4m LCRCA: £5m NECA: £10.8m SYCA: £6.9m TVCA: £2.8m WMCA: £0 WYCA: £0 YNYCA: £8.5m	£59.7m	£746.7m capital funding over 6 years from 2020/21 to 2025/26	Payments made by Section 31 grant.
Care and Support Specialised Housing (CASSH) Fund	The Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund (CASSH) aims to support and accelerate the development of specialist affordable housing which meets the needs of older people and adults with disabilities or mental health problems	DHSC	GLA: £6,701k capital £310k revenue	£7,011k	Capital and revenue paid to the GLA 24-25
Rough Sleeping, Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant	This grant will fund local areas to implement evidence-based drug and alcohol treatment and wrap around support for people sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough, including those with co-occurring mental health needs.	DHSC	GLA: £58,783	£58,783	This was a one-off payment made on 6th March 2025. The grant was also made to 82 Local Authorities in 2024/25
Levelling Up Fund (Capital)	CDEL payments made to places for their Levelling Up Fund projects.	DfT	LCRCA: £24,519,807.50 NECA: £15,493,477.31 CPCA: £3,177,198.03 WYCA: £1,555,680.20 GLA: £27,799,530.58 TVCA: £5,761,809.06	£78,307,502.68	CDEL provided by DfT for Levelling Up Fund projects in 24-25.

5.6 Capacity funding paid to devolution deal areas between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024

Funding Stream	Description	Accountable Government Department	Place(s) affected and amounts received in 2024-25	Total amount paid in 2024-25	Payment Schedule	Comment
Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Capability Fund	Resource funding to ensure local authorities have staff to support the planning and delivery of Electric Vehicle chargepoints. Funding was allocated to all LTAs including CAs.	DfT	CPCA:  £251,720
GMCA: £590,400 LCRCA: £302,170 NECA: £618,670 SYCA: £334,970 TVCA: £234,520 WMCA: £834,620 WECA: £442,080 WYCA: £726,269	£4,335,419	The LEVI Capability Fund ran between FY22/23-25/26 to ensure LTAs were resourced to plan and deliver EV charging infrastructure. LTAs received annual grants during this period based on published allocations. Total payments to CAs over the lifetime of the LEVI Capability Fund was £12,988,419.
Brownfield Housing Fund (Capacity Funding)	The Brownfield Housing Fund aims to create more homes by bringing more brownfield land into development. The Fund is allocated to Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs)	MHCLG	EMCA: £459,000 NECA: £237,500 YNYCA: £173,500	£870,000	£10.4m capacity funding over 6 years from 2020/21 to 2025/26	Payments made by Section 31 grant.
Levelling Up Fund (capacity and capability RDEL)	Capacity funding provided to all recipients of Levelling Up Fund monies, to support the delivery of projects. The MCAs/GLA listed were awarded the funding as the lead authority for delivery of a LUF project	MHCLG	CPCA: £60,000.00 NECA: £60,000.00 TVCA:  £60,000.00 WYCA: £60,000.00 GLA: £60,000.00 LCRCA: £60,000.00	£420,000.00	This was an annual payment as part of a dedicated RDEL pot, for use between the 22/23 – 24/25 FYs. We are looking at providing an additional payment for this FY, but this is not confirmed and has not been communicated to the CAs.	Generic capacity payments were made in previous FYs to all MCAs/GLA, to support the delivery of LUF projects within their areas regardless of whether the CA was delivering the project. The final payment for this scheme was made in the 23/24 FY.
Mayoral Capacity Fund	Available to Strategic Authorities with elected mayors. This fund supports mayors by boosting their capacity and resources to deliver for their local area.	MHCLG	CPCA: £1,000,000 D&T: £250,0001 EMCCA: £1,000,000 Greater Lincolnshire: £500,0002 H&EY: £500,0003 Lancashire: £250,0004 LCRCA: £1,000,000 GMCA: £1,000,000 NECA: £1,000,000 £2,500,000 SYMCA: £1,000,000 TVCA: £1,000,000 WECA: £1,000,000 WMCA: £1,000,000 WYCA: £1,000,000 YNYCA: £1,000,000			Payments made by Section 31 grant. 1 Paid to Devon County Council 2 Paid to Lincolnshire County Council 3 Paid to East Riding of Yorkshire Council 4 Paid to Lancashire Council

6. Consideration of devolution of powers to local government

Legislative requirement: Section 1 (2)(e) of the Act requires the Report to provide information on the extent to which consideration has been given by a Minister of the Crown to the principle that powers should be devolved to combined authorities or the most appropriate local level except where those powers can more effectively be exercised by central government.

6.1. In December 2024, the government published the English Devolution White Paper setting out an ambitious new framework for English devolution, moving power out of Westminster and back to those who know their areas best.

6.2. The White Paper set out the government’s commitment to widening devolution across England, establishing devolution by default and granting unprecedented powers and budgets for mayors.

6.3. During the reporting period and following the publication of the White Paper, the government has also:

• Set up the Mayoral Council, bringing together all elected mayors in a forum with government ministers. The Council forms a key part of the government’s commitment to hardwire devolution into central government and will be a key engagement forum for Local Growth Plans, pushing the frontier on devolution and identifying opportunities to better coordinate national and local policy.
• Worked to ensure that Greater Manchester and West Midlands will be joined by five more areas (Greater London, Liverpool City Region, South Yorkshire, North East and West Yorkshire) in receiving Integrated Settlements from 2026-27, giving nearly 40% of England greater freedom in choosing how best to spend money for their areas.
• Established 2 new Mayoral Strategic Authorities in Greater Lincolnshire, and Hull and East Yorkshire, and 2 new Foundation Strategic Authorities in Devon & Torbay and Lancashire.
• Announced the Devolution Priority Programme, providing 6 more areas with the opportunity to establish a Mayoral Strategic Authority. Taking forward the 6 new areas, in addition to the devolution already agreed, would mean that the proportion of England covered by devolution rises to 77% or just over 44 million people.
• Provided for all of the country to deliver Spatial Development Strategies through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
• Invited proposals and received initial responses from 21 areas to undertake local government reorganisation, which in some areas will be key to unlock further devolution.

6.4. The White Paper sets out a new category of authority in England, the ‘Strategic Authority’. This new category will make it quicker and easier to devolve powers from central to local government. Each Strategic Authority will belong to one of these levels of devolution:

6.4.1. Foundation: available to those authorities without an elected mayor, Foundation Strategic Authorities will have limited devolution and include non-mayoral Combined and Combined County Authorities as well as single councils that have been specially designated as a Strategic Authority.

6.4.2. Mayoral: available to areas with an elected mayor, Mayoral Strategic Authorities will have greater devolution and include mayoral Combined and Combined County Authorities.

6.4.3. Established Mayoral: available to Mayoral Strategic Authorities who are able to satisfy additional governance requirements and demonstrate a delivery track record. Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities will have access to the broadest range of devolved powers and functions, including the ability to request further devolved powers from the government.

6.4.4. By exception, the government will consider non-mayoral devolution arrangements for single Local Authorities, where the criteria above are met, as a stepping-stone towards forming a Mayoral Combined (County) Authority.

6.5. Strategic Authorities will have the ability to perform functions in the following areas, known as their ‘areas of competence’:

• transport and local infrastructure
• skills and employment support
• housing and strategic planning
• economic development and regeneration
• environment and net zero
• health, wellbeing and public service reform
• public safety

6.6. The areas of competence form part of the Devolution Framework, which is a standardised set of legal powers, funding commitments and partnership arrangements with government. It sets out what Strategic Authorities are entitled to at each level of devolution.

6.7. To increase capacity for Strategic Authorities and provide flexibility on how they deliver for their area, mayors will be able to appoint and remunerate ‘Commissioners’ to lead on one of each of the seven areas of competence. They will not be members of the Strategic Authority and will be similar to the Mayor of London’s existing powers to appoint Deputy Mayors, which will remain for London.

6.8. The below table sets out the funding, functions, powers and responsibilities associated with each level of the framework:

(**) refers to functions for which funding will be included in Integrated Settlements for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities
(^) refers to functions which apply to Combined and Combined County Authorities only

Funding and investment
Detail	Foundation	Mayoral	Established
Access to a multi-departmental, long-term integrated funding settlement**			X
Long-term investment fund, with an agreed annual allocation		X	X
Removal of gateway review from investment fund, after Gateway One complete			X
Ability to introduce mayoral precepting on council tax^		X	X
Consolidation of local growth and place funding in a single pot**	X	X	X

Strategic leadership
Detail	Foundation	Mayoral	Established
A statutory duty to produce Local Growth Plans		X	X
Membership of the Council of Nations and Regions		X	X
Membership of the Mayoral Data Council		X	X

Transport and local infrastructure
Detail	Foundation	Mayoral	Established
Local Transport Authority and public transport functions, including bus franchising and responsibility for an area-wide Local Transport Plan	X	X	X
Simplification and consolidation of local transport funding**	X	X	X
Removal of certain Secretary of State consents, e.g. on lane rental schemes		X	X
Duty to establish a Key Route Network on the most important local roads^		X	X
Mayoral Power of Direction over use of constituent authority powers on the Key Route Network^		X	X
Priority for strategic rail engagement (including mayoral partnerships) with Great British Railways	X	X	X
Statutory role in governing, managing, planning, and developing the rail network		X	X
An option for greater control over local rail stations		X	X
A ‘right to request’ further rail devolution			X
Priority for support to deliver multi-modal ticketing			X
A clear, strategic role in the decarbonisation of the local bus fleet	X	X	X
Active Travel England support for constituent authority capability^	X	X	X
Formal partnership with National Highways		X	X

Skills and employment support
Detail	Foundation	Mayoral	Established
Joint ownership of the Local Skills Improvement Plan model, with Employer Representative Bodies	X	X	X
Devolution of the core Adult Skills Fund	X
Devolution of non-apprenticeship adult skills functions through a consolidated skills funding pot**		X	X
Central convening of youth careers provision including greater flexibility for Careers hubs		X	X
A clear role in relation to 16-19 education and training		X	X
Responsibility for developing local Get Britain Working Plans	X	X	X
Devolution of supported employment funding**	X	X	X
Co-design of future employment support that is additional to core Jobcentre Plus provision		X	X
Delegated delivery or commissioning of employment support that is additional to core Jobcentre Plus provision			X
Alignment of Jobcentre Plus boundaries with Strategic Authorities			X

Housing and strategic planning
Detail	Foundation	Mayoral	Established
A duty to produce a Spatial Development Strategy	X	X	X
Strategic development management powers (once the Spatial Development Strategy is in place)		X	X
Ability to raise a Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy to fund strategic infrastructure (once the Spatial Development Strategy is in place)		X	X
Ability to make Mayoral Development Orders		X	X
Ability to establish Mayoral Development Corporations		X	X
Homes England compulsory purchase powers (held concurrently)	X	X	X
Devolution of wider grant funding to support regeneration and housing delivery**		X	X
Ability to set the strategic direction of any future programme to support affordable housing provision in their area			X
Strategic Place Partnership with Homes England		X	X
Support to establish a public sector land commission			X

Economic development and regeneration
Detail	Foundation	Mayoral	Established
Partnership working with Department for Science, Industry and Technology and UK Research and Innovation to explore opportunities for closer long-term collaboration in strengthening local research and innovation capacity	X	X	X
Develop joint innovation action plans with Innovate UK to shape long-term strategies and investments		X	X
Embed UK Research and Innovation lead points of contact for enhanced collaborative working on innovation with Mayoral Strategic Authorities that are committed to work collaboratively on innovation		X	X
Responsibility as the accountable body for the delivery of Growth Hubs	X	X	X
Devolution of Growth Hubs funding			X
A Strategic Partnership with the Department for Business and Trade focused on domestic growth, exports, investment, and delivery of local growth priorities.		X	X
Partnership working with Department for Culture, Media and Sport Arm’s Length Bodies to maximise culture, heritage, and sport spending in place	X	X	X

Environment and climate change
Detail	Foundation	Mayoral	Established
Devolution of retrofit funding this parliament subject to a successful transition period (see 3.7)**			X
Heat network zoning coordination role	X	X	X
Coordinating local energy planning to support development of regional network energy infrastructure	X	X	X
Green jobs and skills coordination role	X	X	X
A strategic role on net zero in collaboration with government, including on Great British Energy’s Local Power Plan and Warm Homes Plan	X	X	X
Responsibility for coordinating delivery and monitoring of Local Nature Recovery Strategies^	X	X	X

Health, wellbeing and public service reform
Detail	Foundation	Mayoral	Established
A bespoke statutory health improvement and health inequalities duty^	X	X	X
Mayors engaged during the Integrated Care Boards chair appointment process		X	X
Mayors as members of local Integrated Care Partnerships, and consideration for position of chair or co-chair		X	X
A role in convening partners and driving cross-cutting public service reform, including looking at areas such as multiple disadvantage	X	X	X

Public safety
Detail	Foundation	Mayoral	Established
Mayors accountable for the exercise of Police and Crime Commissioner functions where police force and mayoral boundaries align^		X	X
Mayors accountable for the exercise of Fire and Rescue Authority functions where fire and rescue service and mayoral boundaries align		X	X
A clear and defined role in local resilience, working with the Local Resilience Forum to embed resilience into broader policy and delivery^	X	X	X

Annex A: Underpinning legislation

The Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 (the 2016 Act) received Royal Assent on 28 January 2016. It amends the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 to facilitate the implementation of far more ambitious and wide-ranging devolution agreements with combined authority areas and with other areas. It is enabling legislation which provides a legislative framework which can be applied flexibly to different areas by secondary legislation. In particular, secondary legislation may:

• confer any local government function on a combined authority
• confer any public authority function on a combined authority
• provide for an elected mayor for a combined authority’s area who would exercise specified functions individually and chair the authority
• provide for the mayor to undertake the functions of Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for the combined authority area (in place of the Police and Crime Commissioner)
• confer any public authority function on a county council or district council

In addition, the 2016 Act’s amendments to the 2009 Act streamline the process for establishing and changing the area of a combined authority, remove geographical limitations as to the establishment of combined authorities, and provide for streamlined governance reforms where these are agreed by one or more of the councils involved.

1. The Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority Order 2025 ↩

2. The Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority Regulations 2025 ↩

3. The Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority Regulations 2025 ↩

4. The Lancashire Combined County Authority Regulations 2025 ↩

5. The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (Adult Education Functions) Order 2025 ↩

6. The East Midlands Combined County Authority (Adult Education Functions) Regulations 2025 ↩

7. The Cornwall Council (Adult Education Functions) Regulations 2025 ↩