Ministers Consider Granting Mayors Oversight of Schools and Hospitals in Major Devolution Push

Published: 22 September ‘2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

UK ministers are reportedly preparing plans to grant mayors substantial new authority over public services, including hospitals and schools, as part of an ambitious devolution initiative that could reshape local governance. Steve Reed, the local government secretary, is exploring ways to extend the powers of mayors, potentially covering certain NHS services and elements of the criminal justice system, with the proposals possibly being integrated as amendments to the ongoing devolution bill in Parliament.

Reed, who recently assumed leadership of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government following Angela Rayner’s resignation, emphasised his commitment to empowering communities. He highlighted that devolving more responsibilities to local leaders could restore public trust in politics and strengthen civic pride. Drawing on his experience as a former council leader in Lambeth, Reed cited successful initiatives in reducing youth crime and improving social housing through local empowerment.

The Labour Together thinktank, which Reed helped establish, has endorsed the idea in a forthcoming report, advocating for broader powers to enable mayors to appoint health commissioners who could oversee local hospital budgets, rather than leaving decisions solely to NHS integrated care boards. Proponents suggest that such devolution would allow mayors to allocate NHS funding to community-based care schemes, potentially improving efficiency while saving public money.

Regional leaders like Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, currently wield influence over health strategies in their areas but lack full budgetary control. Expanding mayoral authority to cover education and probation services, as proposed by Labour Together, would place strategic decision-making closer to the communities served. The report further argues for devolution in areas including criminal justice, allowing for more localized accountability and integration of services.

While the government is not endorsing all proposals—such as mayoral funding formulas or replacing the House of Lords with regional representatives—the plan to shift greater responsibility to local leaders is gaining momentum. Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons is coordinating cross-departmental efforts to develop a framework for implementing these changes, consulting with MHCLG, the health and education departments, and Downing Street officials.

Reed frames devolution as a path to more responsive and cost-effective public services, drawing lessons from his “co-operative council” model in Lambeth, which granted residents greater authority to commission services. Critics, however, warn that decentralisation could shift accountability while creating political risks for the Labour government, including empowering rival leaders from other parties. Recent elections of Reform UK mayors in Lincolnshire and Hull underscore these potential complications.

Economist Andy Haldane has cautioned against hesitation in pursuing ambitious devolution, arguing that broader empowerment of local leaders is essential for achieving economic growth and effective service delivery. The debate highlights the balance the government must strike between innovation in local governance and managing political dynamics across regions.