Bedford Borough Council is still waiting to find out what devolution would mean for its residents and businesses. But Bedford’s mayor said he doesn’t think a referendum on this is necessary, and the council may be pushed into devolution anyway.
In September, councils, including Bedford Borough Council, submitted expression of interest forms outlining their interest in potential devolution arrangements.
The Autumn Budget 2024 in October said the “upcoming” English Devolution White Paper will set out more detail on the government’s devolution plans.
These include “working with councils to move to simpler structures that make sense for their local areas, with efficiency savings from council reorganisation helping to meet the needs of local people”.
During Ministry for Housing, Communities & Local Government questions in the Commons on Monday (2 December) local government minister Jim McMahon said the document “sets out how we will transfer power from Westminster to people who know their areas best”.
He added: “The white paper will also announce measures that will give local places and communities greater control over shaping their area.”
However, the white paper, initially promised in November, has been delayed until later this month.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) asked Bedford’s mayor and deputy mayor if Bedfordians will be able to have a referendum on devolution.
Bedford mayor Tom Wootton (Conservative) said: “I have a feeling with this government policy that they’re going to say ‘either you do this like this or we’re going to push you into it’ in a few years time.
“They’re working very fast at the moment to get it [published].
“I was at the [Local Government Association] LGA conference a few weeks ago and Angela [Rayner] was on stage saying, ‘We want to get this done as quickly as we possibly can’.
“I don’t see any negative with devolution. Okay, I’m closer to it, so I suspect there might be a lot of people out there saying, ‘What does that mean?’ [But] I don’t think a referendum is necessary,” he said.
Deputy mayor, cllr Jim Weir (Conservative), said: “It depends what the framework is, it might it might say you have to have a referendum, but I don’t think it will.
“I don’t see how a referendum would work in terms of ‘do you want to have more money and more funding coming into your area?’ Somebody said to me does that mean if the combined authority is a devolved power ‘we won’t need a mayor in Bedford?’
“No, each separate organisation will carry on running the same way. It’s just where things can be over-arched that’s where the funding and the benefits come from.
“I don’t get that as a binary choice whether do you want one or don’t you want one. I think it’s either you should have one or you shouldn’t,” he said.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
