Member

Smaller towns and villages near large urban centres with outlying areas, feel overlooked, despite contributing financially. A city-led approach to rural areas risks sidelining communities, weakening local voice and eroding long-standing identities. Where local service provision is not taken into account, there is a risk of a mismatch in local service delivery. Strategic authorities may be created on footprints that do not match existing service boundaries, yet the Bill does not require the Secretary of State to check alignment before restructuring. Where strategic authority boundaries differ from service boundaries, this can affect how services are planned, commissioned and overseen across an area, particularly where joint working between local authorities and other public bodies is required.