Angela Rayner will announce plans for new mega-councils in a white paper on English devolution, asking councils to merge to facilitate Labour’s goal of building 1.5 million homes in five years. These “strategic authorities” aim to streamline decision-making and give regions a stronger voice, but may face backlash from critics concerned about loss of local control over planning. Around 20 to 30 new authorities are expected to be created, resulting in the consolidation of approximately 150 councils in England.
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