Evaluation of Devolved Institutions

This document describes a comprehensive evaluation of devolution in England and its impact on local governance, comparing it with governance models in the UK, the US, France, and Italy. The evaluation, conducted by Warwick Economics & Development and other institutions, utilized desk-based reviews, stakeholder consultations, analysis of socio-economic indicators, surveys, and logic mapping to assess the shift of powers from central to local authorities, the introduction of Combined Authorities with directly elected mayors, and the roles of mayors and councils. Results show that devolution has improved strategic governance, local accountability, and public service delivery, but faces challenges such as resource displacement, lack of clarity in negotiations, and the need for greater public understanding. The evaluation highlights the importance of inclusivity, high-quality services, and alignment of local and national priorities for realizing potential benefits like economic growth and sustainable development. It also emphasizes the necessity of good governance, effective scrutiny, and transparency for accountability and trust. Despite improvements in local government perceptions and coordination, there are still issues with administrative efficiency, clarity of powers, and public participation, with significant regional differences in engagement and understanding of local governance structures affecting the success of decentralization and devolution processes. **This summary was written by an AI model and therefore should not be considered a definitive summary of the report. If you are aware of inaccuracies, please email evaluation.registry@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.**

Description

• Lead department: Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
• Evaluation stage: A complete evaluation report
• Other departments: No other departments listed
• Evaluation types: Process evaluation
• Process methods: Individual interviews; Surveys and polling
• Grant information: This intervention is not distributing funding via a grant
• Government Major Project information: This intervention is not a major project
• Policies: No policies provided

Event Dates

• Event Name: Publication of final results
• Event date: May 2021

Evaluation Costs

• Cost: Not provided

Evaluation sharing

• Link(s) to published report(s): Yes
• Links to evaluation plans: No link provided
• Findings: Not provided
• Permission to share confirmed: Yes