Whitehall high-flyers are set to be seconded to the North East and other regions to work with mayors on boosting growth and other priorities in what ministers describe as the largest transfer of government capacity to local leaders yet.
A package of measures to strengthen devolution has been announced by Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner following direct requests from mayors at the first meeting of the National Economic Council, held at the end of July where, said the government, local leaders called for stronger local capability, faster decision-making and a closer partnership with government.
From autumn, high-performing civil servants will be seconded into mayoral authorities such as the North East and perhaps Tees Valley to build capability and capacity and accelerate the transfer of power to local areas.
In an initial pilot, every mayoral authority will receive between five and ten civil servants on a 6–9-month secondment. The teams will provide the skills and expertise needed to support a once-in-a-generation devolution settlement, said the government. Mayors will be given the freedom to request the type of skills they need.
The package also includes:
- a new Civil Service Fast Stream pilot in Yorkshire and Humber, providing more opportunities to build successful careers in regions outside London and creating a new pipeline of future leaders with experience working in local and central government;
- expansion of the Future Leaders Scheme, a Civil Service programme to develop high potential individuals, to mayoral and local authority officials;
- a Digital Devolution programme to unlock government data and build AI, digital and data capability in mayoral authorities.
- the Minister for Growth and Minister for Sport will work with mayors on the Stadium Regeneration Accelerator, which will support major sports-led regeneration projects and bring forward jobs, investment and housing.
Digital devolution
Eighteen mayoral strategic authorities (MSAs) are expected to be included in the initial secondment programme, with two further strategic authorities currently forming that could benefit in future.
Applications to the fast stream will launch alongside the next intake in October, with successful candidates starting in September 2027.
The Digital Devolution programme, according to the government, will improve access to government data, create a common data-sharing model between Whitehall and mayoral authorities, expand AI and data skills training, and help local leaders use technology to improve public services and support economic growth.
Power in every postcode
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “No.10 North [in Manchester] is putting more power into every postcode across the country so communities can unleash and unlock their own potential. I’m bringing together mayors from different political parties to work on these challenges, because people deserve problem-solving rather than point-scoring.”
Angela Rayner said: “We want to see more power and resource shifted away from Westminster and back into the hands of our communities where it belongs. We’re also giving our mayors the tools they need to push on and deliver on what matters for their community, whether that’s new transport links, more safe and secure homes, regeneration projects, or everything in between. No.10 North is at the heart of our devolution revolution, and we will continue to listen closely on how we can help support our mayors to drive good growth in every postcode – and back our regions.”
Comment
Something like this has been tried before. Government Offices for the Regions were established in all nine English administrative regions, including London, in 1994 and were abolished in 2011. But they did not have the powers or resources that Andy Burnham appears to want for the regions. It was a criticism of Government Office for the North East and the others that they were agents of Whitehall in the regions rather than regional voices in Whitehall. They also lacked local democratic accountability, though some of that may rub off on the new Whitehall secondees through their working relationship with the mayors.
*This report is based on a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office.
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