The Government has refused to provide details of the evidence base or benchmark tests applied to key devolution and combined authority decisions, as the agenda shows signs of unravelling.
This month saw a raft of devolution deals hit stumbling blocks, as pressure from central government to adopt elected mayors combined with local disputes left the agenda in disarray in parts of the country.
The County Councils Network (CCN) this month raised a raft of financial, democratic and governance concerns over Chesterfield BC's bid to join the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority, with which it does not share a border.
CCN called for a transparent and evidence-based approach to appraising different options and ensuring statutory tests are met for the creation of such non-contiguous combined authorities.
The DCLG secretary must sign off on such deals giving regard to various statutory tests, including the impact it could have on neighbouring authorities.
Following questioning from Transport Network, the DCLG refused to provide any details of an evidence base for these decisions or any of the benchmarks it would be tested against.
A DCLG spokesman said: ‘Ministers have been repeatedly clear this is a genuinely bottom-up process and discussions with all parts of the country are continuing at pace.’
A source close to the DfT said allowing district councils to join non-contiguous combined authorities and take transport powers with them was ‘crazy’ and the Government had left local authorities dealing with a ‘mess’.
Also this month former civil service head Lord Kerslake called the current devolution process ‘piecemeal and incoherent’.
