Burnham will divert ‘significant’ resources out of civil service, says No. 10 North chief
Caroline Simpson, the No. 10 deputy chief of staff, tells POLITICO England remains "one of the most centralized countries in the Western Hemisphere."
Andy Burnham, the U.K. prime minister's devolution chief, plans to divert "significant" resources from the civil service to local councils and mayoral bodies in England, according to Caroline Simpson, his No. 10 North deputy chief of staff. Simpson told POLITICO that England is one of the most centralized countries in the Western Hemisphere, with little true devolution.
The Cabinet signed a statement affirming No. 10 North's role in overseeing a "major transfer of powers, resources and functions" from central to local government before the next general election, expected by 2029. The civil service has grown by 100,000 people in six years, reaching around 550,000 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the U.K.'s EU exit.
No. 10 North plans to reassign civil service staff to regional government as they take on more power. The office currently has around 50 civil servants, with plans to expand to 150, though a specific reduction figure hasn't been disclosed. Burnham aims to have mayoral authorities in all areas of England by the end of 2028, offering Whitehall expertise where needed.
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