Angela Rayner has announced plans to overhaul local government in England by introducing directly elected mayors in every region and merging district and county councils into single-tier authorities.
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00:00Angela Rayner has announced plans to overhaul local government in England by introducing
00:05directly elected mayors in every region and merging district and county councils into
00:10single-tier authorities. She argues this will boost local economies, streamline decision-making
00:15and give communities more control over policies that matter to them.
00:19Currently, only half of England has elected mayors, with others relying on leader-led
00:23systems or ceremonial roles. Rayner believes mayors with clear public mandates could better
00:29represent their regions and reduce dependence on Westminster. Critics, however, warn this
00:33could centralise power, sideline smaller communities and turn local elections into political contests.
00:40Merging councils into unitary authorities aims to simplify governance, cut costs and
00:44make services easier to access. While some areas like Manchester and Bristol have seen
00:49success with this model, opponents fear it could weaken ties between councils and local
00:53residents, especially in rural areas that may lose convenient access to services. The
00:59changes, if implemented, could reshape how millions interact with their local governments.