Prepare for the impact of devolution and local government reorganisation! This workshop explores how these changes will affect planning and how local authorities can adapt smoothly. Hear insights from those in newly formed and combined authorities

1. Nic Thomas, Wiltshire
Sean Anstee, Devon & Torbay CA
PAS: Liz Hobden, Steve Barker,
Rachel Jones, Beccy Moberly, Garreth Bruff
Local Government Reorganisation
and Devo workshop

2. Overview of the Session
• Quick overview of Local Government Reform – what’s here
and what’s coming?
• New Unitary Experience – Nic Thomas, Director of
Planning, Wiltshire Council
• Combined Authority Perspective and Planning – Sean
Anstee, Director, Devon and Torbay Combined County
Authority
• Workshops on your Table – How to keep planning in a time
of change – discuss Combined Authorities Or New Unitaries
• Round up and close

3. Quick LGR Overview
Background
• Existing Combined Authorities and Devo Deals – from 2011
• Devo and LGR White Paper published Dec 24
• Government objectives
• Full strategic authority coverage proposed by end of Parliament
• Replacement of two-tier local government system in this Parliament

4. Combined Authorities – the
story so far
Four types of CA/Strategic Authority –
through a strategic planning lens
• Existing Combined Authorities with
Planning powers – GLA, Manchester and
Liverpool (black)
• Existing CAs – Elections May 25, SDS by end
of Parliament (2029)
• Priority Combined Mayoral Authorities
(green)
• Undecided – will be looked at on case by
case basis (yellow) – potential intervention

5. What are Strategic
Authorities?
The Devo White Paper proposes to replace CAs and CCAs with
Strategic Authorities – All have duty to prepare SDS:
No elected mayor, devolution deal limited
Mayoral CAs will automatically begin as
this unless they have been designated as
Established. For those with an elected mayor,
a range of powers will be devolved
Those mayoral authorities meeting additional
governance requirements unlock access to
further devolution powers such as integrated
settlement. E.g. GLA and Greater Manchester
Foundation Strategic Authority
Mayoral Strategic Authority
Established Mayoral Authority

6. New Unitary Councils
• English Devo Bill – Dec 24 – proposals to replace two tier system with
unitary councils
• SoS announcement on 5 Feb 25 – invited all councils to develop
‘Unitary Proposals’ by 26 Sept 2025
• April 2027 - Priority Programme Mayoral CA Unitaries in place
• April 2028 - Remaining Unitaries in place

7. PAS at 20 Conference Feb 2025
Local Government Re-organisation
Nic Thomas, Director of Planning

8. The Wiltshire path to Unitary
• Council formed in 2009
• Five into one - four districts, one county council
• Created fourth largest unitary council in England
• Vision – create stronger and more resilient communities
• Our case was based on devolution and working locally
• Established 18 Area Boards - influence local service delivery and
empower communities
• In Planning …
– Harmonisation of structures, services, pay and roles
– No immediate changes to committee structure
– Four schemes of delegation
– Four back-office ICT systems
– Overnight change in staff numbers, skills, capacity, backlog
– Multiple Local Plans at various stages
– Drive to make significant savings under-pinned all the work

9. Lessons learned
• Too long spent trying to maintain the status quo
• Assumption that bringing teams together would just work
• Lost opportunity to make radical changes – needed dealing with from day 1
• Single ICT system is essential – became a barrier for consistency, monitoring
performance and often the ‘excuse’ for not coming together
• One team culture – need to bring people together physically is essential
• Members loss of power was replaced by Planning Committees. Need to address early
or won’t ever get buy-in
• Performance previously only looked at team level – not as a service overview
• Regular staff surveys - give staff chance to have their say
• Transparency – in performance, decision making and engagement
• Don’t spread senior management too thin (e.g. five to one DM Head of Service)
• Don’t assume district officers / managers capable of dealing with unitary issues
“As long as decisions are
going out, we are not
concerned in how we do it”

10. Top tips
• Culture and vision is the most important area to invest time in
• Sufficient visible leadership to manage the critical relationships and demonstrably
‘champion’ the change
• It’s the people who will make this work – invest in them and identify your change advocates
• Be brave, short-term pain will give long term results
• Invest in time working with Members – don’t let them establish into old habits
• Strong, consistent and effective communications (staff and stakeholders)
• Proper robust programme management to deliver a major change programme
• Build performance and challenge into all aspects of planning.
• Embed a one council culture
• Have transparency in performance for the whole service

11. Wiltshire Performance
Management Cycle
Business
planning and
strategic
objectives
Appraisals
and 1:1’s
Team and
individual
capability and
development
planning
Talent
management
and
succession
planning
Performance
measurement
Resilience and
Future-proofing
(critical roles)
Team and individual
objectives
Workforce Strategy
Our Identity
POBs and POGs
Employment
Engagement survey data
360 reviews
Business Plan

12. What this means for Planning – high level
• Quarterly performance outcome board meetings (POB) (directors / cabinet member)
• Corporate Performance board chaired by Leader and CLT – Constructive challenge.
More than performance indicators – culture, staff, customer service, resilience, risks
• Monthly budget forecasting. Extended Leadership Team challenge and scrutiny
• Managing Performance and High Performing Teams is included in the planning
leadership and management development programme
• Performance issues part of staff induction and corporate leadership training
• Transparent performance reporting and management
• Culture of promoting benchmarking and networking
• Stretching targets
• Building risk management into operational decision making

13. • Live performance data is available to
all via dashboard in Arcus
• Arcus Dashboard
• Everyone can see the workloads for
the entire service at any time
• Officers all have their own dashboard
• Performance is discussed at Planning
SMT, and all Team Meetings
• Issues are at operational level,
individual performance
• We know that we need to improve –
but we have the tools to do it
What this means for Planning – Operationally

14. Talent Management
Talent management is the
• identification
• development
• engagement
• retention
• deployment
of individuals who are valuable to an organisation, because of their potential or the
critical role they have.
• Good recruitment and selection
• Good induction for new and internal staff
• 1:1’s, 9 Box Grid, Wiltshire Leader
Programme
• Training, development, coaching and
mentoring
• Purpose, clarity, autonomy, feedback,
recognition
• One Council approach to prioritising and
supporting agile deployment

15. 9 Box Grid

16. Final thoughts….
• This is a major change programme and needs time, resource and the right people
• First 12 months - best opportunity deliver lasting change
• Developing a culture of ‘one council’ working, high performance, and continuous
improvement is key

17. Local Government
Reorganisation
and Planning
28 February 2025
PAS Conference

18. Our journey towards devolution
• Our journey started in February 2022, as
part of the Levelling Up White Paper
• Agreement for a Devon and Torbay
devolution deal reached in January 2024
• Wide ranging powers covering housing
and land, transport, net zero and climate
change, and economic development
• Covers the two-tier county of Devon and
Torbay Council with the CCA formally
came into being on 5 February 2025

19. Our ambitions
Maximising
our Economic
Potential
Addressing
our Housing
Pressures
Improving
Local
Transport
Meeting our
Net Zero
Ambitions
Delivering
investment in
Devon and
Torbay
Strong and
Sustainable
Local
Economy

20. Planning for growth
• Delivering a stronger partnership with
Homes England by establishing a shared
development pipeline
• Duty to prepare an economic assessment
for Devon and Torbay
• Housing Advisory Group established so
our Housing Authorities can collaborate
• Convening power to bring key
stakeholders together to take forward
funding and investment opportunities

21. Working collaboratively
• The challenges and opportunities will be
present whatever the outcome of LGR
• Building competence, building trust and
building relationships central pillars of
CCA activity.
• Supporting elected members to deliver
their commitments and demonstrate
impact
• Looking beyond our existing framework to
identify new opportunities to work
together

22. What next?
In the context of the English Devolution White Paper and its impact on
planning – lets discuss!

23. LGR and Planning
Workshop
• Work on Tables – no more than 8 per table
• Choose one from the two main themes for discussion:
• Combined Authorities and SDSs or
• New Unitary Councils
• Discuss and capture
• Opportunities
• Challenges
• Actions – include ideas for PAS Support

24. Closing and Next Steps
• We’ll take-away your points
• Inform PAS Programme of Support for next year
• Please complete feedback forms
• Useful LGA documents and advice
• Combined Authorities – A Plain English Guide
• Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation - FAQs
• THANK YOU!