24 Aug 2026
The Government has announced that teams of civil servants will be sent to mayoral authorities across England to help local leaders turn new powers into action.
From this autumn, every mayoral authority will receive between five and ten civil servants for up to nine months. Mayors will be able to request the skills and expertise their area needs, with the aim of strengthening local capacity and speeding up decision-making.
It is a welcome move. Giving local leaders more powers will only work if they also have the people and expertise needed to use them effectively.
However, the Government says its plans will help unlock growth “in every postcode”, and not every part of England is covered by a mayoral strategic authority.
That raises an important question: what support will be available to places without a mayor?
Many rural councils face significant capacity pressures of their own. They also need access to specialist expertise and a strong, direct relationship with Whitehall if they are to attract investment, improve services and deliver for their communities.
This should not be about questioning the support being given to mayoral areas, including the many rural communities within them. Instead, it is about making sure the same principle applies everywhere: devolution needs capacity as well as powers.
As the pilot develops, the RSN urges the Government to consider how similar support could be offered to non-mayoral and other local authorities, ensuring that every place can benefit, whatever its current governance arrangements.
