English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026

Schedule 20 Mayoral development corporations

Section 38 Part 1 Amendment of the Localism Act 2011 Introduction 1 The Localism Act 2011 is amended in accordance with this Part of this Schedule. Part 8 2 In the heading of Part 8, after “London” insert “and areas of other mayoral strategic authorities”. Interpretation 3 In section 196— (a) before the definition of “the Mayor” insert— “CCA” means a combined county authority established under Chapter 1 of Part 2 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023; “combined authority” means a combined authority established under Part 6 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009; “constituent council” means— in relation to a combined authority— a county council the whole or any part of whose area is within the area of the authority, or a district council whose area is within the area of the authority; in relation to a CCA— a county council for an area within the area of the authority, or a unitary district council for an area within the area of the authority; and here “unitary district council” means the council for a district for which there is no county council; ; (b) for the definition of “the Mayor” substitute— “the Mayor” means— the Mayor of London, the mayor for the area of a combined authority, or the mayor for the area of a CCA; ; (c) after the definition of “MDC” insert— “strategic authority area” means— in relation to the Mayor of London or a mayoral development area designated by that Mayor, Greater London; in relation to the mayor for the area of a combined authority or a mayoral development area designated by the mayor for such an area, the area of the combined authority, or in relation to the mayor for the area of a CCA or a mayoral development area designated by the mayor for such an area, the area of the CCA; . Designation of Mayoral development areas 4 (1) Section 197 is amended in accordance with this paragraph. (2) In subsection (1), for “Greater London” substitute “a strategic authority area”. (3) In subsection (3), in the words before paragraph (a), for “the Mayor” substitute “the Mayor of London”. (4) After subsection (5) insert— (5A) The mayor for the area of a combined authority or CCA may designate a Mayoral development area only if— (a) the Mayor considers that designation of the area is expedient for furthering economic development and regeneration in the strategic authority area, (b) the Mayor has consulted the persons specified by subsection (5B) and, if applicable, subsection (5C), (c) the Mayor has had regard to any comments made in response by the consultees, (d) in the event that those comments include comments made by a constituent council or a district council consulted under subsection (5C) that are comments that the Mayor does not accept, the Mayor has published a statement giving the reasons for the non-acceptance, (e) the Mayor has laid before the combined authority or CCA, in accordance with its standing orders, a document stating that the Mayor is proposing to designate the area, and (f) the combined authority or CCA approves the proposal. (5B) The persons who have to be consulted before an area may be designated are— (a) the constituent councils, (b) each Member of Parliament whose parliamentary constituency contains any part of the area, and (c) any other person whom the Mayor considers it appropriate to consult. (5C) In the case of a combined county authority, any district council whose local authority area contains any part of the area also has to be consulted before the area may be designated. (5D) For the purposes of subsection (5A)(f) the combined authority or CCA approves a proposal if it resolves to do so on a motion considered at a meeting of the combined authority or CCA throughout which members of the public are entitled to be present. Exclusion of land from Mayoral development areas 5 (1) Section 199 is amended in accordance with this paragraph. (2) In subsection (2), for “the Mayor” substitute “the Mayor of London”. (3) After subsection (2) insert— (2A) Before making an alteration, the mayor for the area of a combined authority or CCA must consult— (a) the constituent councils, and (b) any other person whom the Mayor considers it appropriate to consult. Transfers of property etc to a Mayoral development corporation 6 (1) Section 200 is amended in accordance with this paragraph. (2) In subsection (1), for “a person within subsection (3)” substitute “an eligible transferor”. (3) After subsection (1) insert— (1A) In the case of an MDC for an area in Greater London, “eligible transferor” means— (a) a London borough council, (b) the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as a local authority, (c) any company whose members— (i) include the Mayor of London and a Minister of the Crown, and (ii) do not include anyone who is neither the Mayor or London nor a Minister of the Crown, or (d) a person within subsection (3). (1B) In the case of an MDC for an area in the area of a combined authority, “eligible transferor” means a person within subsection (3). (1C) In the case of an MDC for an area in the area of a CCA, “eligible transferor” means— (a) any district council whose local authority area is within the area of the CCA, or (b) a person within subsection (3). . (4) In subsection (3)— (a) omit paragraphs (a) and (b); (b) in paragraphs (d) and (e), for “Greater London” substitute “the strategic authority area”; (c) omit paragraph (k). (5) In subsection (4), for “liabilities of—” substitute “liabilities of an eligible transferee. (4A) In the case of an MDC for an area in Greater London, “eligible transferee” means— . (6) Before subsection (5) insert— (4A) In the case of an MDC for an area in the area of a combined authority or CCA, “eligible transferee” means— (a) the combined authority or CCA, or (b) a company that is a subsidiary of the combined authority or CCA. (7) In subsection (9), after “(4)(c)” insert “or (4A)(b)”. Functions in relation to Town and Country Planning 7 (1) Section 202 is amended in accordance with this paragraph. (2) In subsection (7), for “the Mayor” substitute “the Mayor of London”. (3) After subsection (7) insert— (7A) The mayor for the area of a combined authority or CCA may make a decision under any of subsections (2) to (6) only if— (a) the Mayor has consulted the persons specified by section 197(5B) and, if applicable, section 197(5C), in relation to the area, (b) the Mayor has had regard to any comments made in response by the consultees, and (c) in the event that those comments include comments made by the constituent council or a district council specified by section 197(5C) that are comments that the Mayor does not accept, the Mayor has published a statement giving the reasons for the non-acceptance. Arrangements for discharge of, or assistance with, planning functions 8 In section 203, in subsections (1) and (4), after “City of London” insert “, or a county council or district council”. Acquisition of land 9 (1) Section 207 is amended in accordance with this paragraph. (2) In subsection (2), for “Greater London” substitute “the strategic authority area”. (3) For subsection (3) substitute— (3) Before submitting a compulsory purchase order authorising an acquisition under subsection (2) to the Secretary of State for confirmation— (a) an MDC for an area in Greater London must obtain the consent of the Mayor of London; (b) an MDC for an area in the area of a combined authority or CCA must obtain the consent of the mayor for that area. Powers in relation to discretionary relief from non-domestic rates 10 (1) Section 214 is amended in accordance with this paragraph. (2) In subsection (4), for “the Mayor” substitute “the Mayor of London”. (3) After subsection (4) insert— (4A) The mayor for the area of a combined authority or CCA may make a decision under any of subsection (2) or (3) only if— (a) the Mayor has consulted the persons specified by section 197(5B) and, if applicable, section 197(5C), in relation to the area, (b) the Mayor has had regard to any comments made in response by the consultees, and (c) in the event that those comments include comments made by the constituent council or a district council specified by section 197(5C) that are comments that the Mayor does not accept, the Mayor has published a statement giving the reasons for the non-acceptance. Transfers of property, rights and liabilities 11 (1) Section 216 is amended in accordance with this paragraph. (2) For subsection (2) substitute— (2) A transfer scheme may provide for a transfer to a person only if the person consents; but this does not apply to a transfer to any of the following— (a) the Greater London Authority; (b) a functional body other than the MDC concerned; (c) a company that is a subsidiary of the Greater London Authority; (d) a combined authority; (e) a company that is a subsidiary of a combined authority; (f) a CCA; (g) a company that is a subsidiary of a CCA. (3) In subsection (4), in the definition of “permitted recipient”— (a) after ““permitted recipient”” insert “, in relation to an MDC for an area in Greater London,”; (b) after paragraph (f) insert— in relation to an MDC for an area in the area of a combined authority, means— (a) the combined authority, (b) a company that is a subsidiary of the combined authority, or (c) any other person; in relation to an MDC for an area in the area of a CCA, means— (a) the CCA, (b) a company that is a subsidiary of the CCA, (c) any district council whose local authority area is within the area of the CCA or (d) any other person; . Miscellaneous provisions 12 After section 217 insert— MDCs outside London Political activities of officers and staff etc 217A (1) Section 1 of the LGHA 1989 (disqualification and political restriction of certain officers and staff), and sections 2 and 3A of that Act so far as they have effect for the purposes of section 1, apply in relation to an MDC outside London as if it were a local authority. (2) Section 5 of the LGHA 1989 (designation and reports of monitoring officer) applies in relation to a combined authority or CCA as if an MDC for an area in the area of the combined authority or CCA were a committee of the combined authority or CCA. (3) In this section— “LGHA 1989” means the Local Government and Housing Act 1989; “MDC outside London” means an MDC for an area in the area of a combined authority or CCA. Schedule 21 13 Schedule 21 is amended in accordance with paragraphs 14 to 18. 14 (1) Paragraph 1 (membership) is amended in accordance with this paragraph. (2) In sub-paragraph (1)— (a) for “A Mayoral development corporation (“MDC”)” substitute “An MDC for an area in Greater London”; (b) omit “(“the Mayor”)”. (3) In sub-paragraph (2), for “The Mayor” substitute “The Mayor of London”. (4) After sub-paragraph (3) insert— (3A) An MDC for an area in the area of a combined authority or CCA is to consist of such number of members (being not less than six) as the mayor for the area of the combined authority or CCA may from time to time appoint. (3B) The mayor for the area of a combined authority or CCA must, subject to sub-paragraph (5), exercise the mayor's power under sub-paragraph (3A) so as to secure that the members of an MDC include at least one elected member of each relevant council. (3C) For the purposes of this Schedule a council is “relevant” in relation to an MDC if— (a) any part of the MDC's area is within the council's area, and (b) the council is— (i) the council for a county in which there are no district councils, or (ii) a district council. 15 In paragraph 2 (terms of appointment of members), in sub-paragraph (5)(d), after “relevant London council” insert “or relevant council”. 16 In paragraph 4 (remuneration etc: members and staff), in sub-paragraph (4), after “London Assembly” insert “, or the combined authority or CCA,”. 17 In paragraph 9 (proceedings), in paragraph (c), after “each relevant London council” insert “or each relevant council”. 18 In paragraph 10 (annual report), in sub-paragraph (1)(c), after “and” insert “, in the case of an MDC for an area in London,”. Part 2 Amendment of other legislation Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 1996 19 In Schedule 2 to the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 1996 (works: further and supplementary provisions), in paragraph 9(8)(a), after “Mayoral development corporation” insert “for an area in Greater London”. GLAA 1999 20 (1) The GLAA 1999 is amended in accordance with this paragraph. (2) In section 31 (limits of the general power), in subsection (1A), after “Mayoral development corporation” insert “for an area in Greater London”. (3) In section 38 (delegation), in subsection (2)(da), after “Mayoral development corporation” insert “for an area in Greater London”. (4) In section 60A (confirmation hearings etc for certain appointments by the Mayor), in subsection (3), after “Mayoral development corporation” insert “for an area in Greater London”. (5) In section 68 (disqualification and political restriction), in subsection (6)(aa), after “Mayoral development corporation” insert “for an area in Greater London”. (6) In section 403B (acquisition of land by MDC and TfL for shared purposes), after subsection (9) insert— (10) In this section “Mayoral development corporation” means a Mayoral development corporation for an area in Greater London. (7) In section 424 (interpretation), in subsection (1), in the definition of “functional body”, in paragraph (aa), after “Mayoral development corporation” insert “for an area in Greater London”. Local Government Act 2003 21 In the Local Government Act 2003, after section 32A (inserted by section 42 of this Act) insert— Application to Mayoral development corporations outside London 32B (1) For the purposes of section 31, expenditure of a Mayoral development corporation for an area in the area of a combined authority or CCA shall be treated as expenditure of the combined authority or CCA. (2) The conditions on which grant under section 31 may be paid include, in the case of a grant to a combined authority or CCA, a condition requiring the combined authority or CCA to transfer the grant to the Mayoral development corporation. (3) A decision to pay a grant under section 31 subject to such a condition as is mentioned in subsection (2) above shall be notified to the Mayoral development corporation as well as to the combined authority or CCA. (4) Where a grant paid under section 31 to a combined authority or CCA is paid subject to such a condition as is mentioned in subsection (2) above, the combined authority or CCA must transfer the grant to the Mayoral development corporation forthwith. (5) Where a grant paid under section 31 to a combined authority or CCA is not paid subject to such a condition as is mentioned in subsection (2) above, the Mayor may transfer the grant to a Mayoral development corporation. (6) Where grant under section 31 is transferred under this section to a Mayoral development corporation, any conditions to which the grant is subject shall apply to the transferee instead of the transferor. (7) In this section— “CCA” means a combined county authority established under Chapter 1 of Part 2 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023; “combined authority” means a combined authority established under Part 6 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009. Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 22 In section 24 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (conformity with regional strategy), in subsection (1)(b) and subsection (4), after “Mayoral development corporation” insert “for an area in Greater London”. Crossrail Act 2008 23 In Schedule 2 to the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 1996 (works: further and supplementary provisions), in paragraph 8(8)(a), after “Mayoral development corporation” insert “for an area in Greater London”.