Devolution and local government reorganisation
In December the Government announced a major programme of reform for local government including two related but separate initiatives:
Devolution: Transferring powers and funding from Whitehall to local areas by creating regional Strategic Authorities with an elected Mayor, covering populations of over 1.5 million in all areas of England that do not already have them.
Local Government reorganisation: Ending two-tier county and district council arrangements by reorganising local government to create new unitary local authorities with populations of at least 500,000.