Local Growth Plans

The English Devolution White Paper published in December 2024 laid out the next steps for Combined Authorities to become Mayoral Strategic Authorities and to publish their own Local Growth Plans (LGPs), a 10-year strategic framework for growth in their region setting out where the region will focus, use it’s devolved powers and drive funding for growth and productivity. The plans are intended to set our ‘shared priorities’ where devolved government and central government can collaborate, but also where cross regional collaboration can be forged.

Combined Authorities, Greater London Authority and Combined County Authorities must produce a plan, but individual LAs or areas without devolution arrangements do not (however they are encouraged to set out an economic vision, especially if thinking about a future devolution deal for their area).

“Local Growth Plans should be “the guiding star” that provides strategic direction for other relevant plans and strategies and the wider work of Mayoral Strategic Authorities, their constituent Local Authorities, and local partners.”

All other local strategies e.g. spatial development strategy, local transport plans, local skills improvement plans, should align with the overarching Local Growth Plan. LGPs will be owned by the Mayoral Strategic Authorities and will not be signed off by Central Government.

UK Government will use the plans as the starting point for considering the deployment of funding, but Mayors are intended to use their own budgets and powers to deliver plans. And a new Mayoral Council will gives Mayor’s the chance to discuss the delivery of LGPs with UK Government.

LGPs should have shared priorities with UK Government and discussion will begin with the MHCLG following their own analysis of the MSAs. And the document notes that LGPs will need to be updated, with shared priorities agreed between UK Government and Mayoral Strategic Authorities.

Local Growth Plans should set out the economic overview of a region, the strengths, opportunities and challenges but also the sectors likely to be delivering growth. The document notes the link with the UK Industrial Strategy.

“ Where the Industrial Strategy has committed funding or interventions in a locally significant sector, either at a national level or in a specific Mayoral Strategic Authority, then that Local Growth Plan should highlight how it will support those interventions with its devolved levers and how it can work with the private sector, higher education providers, and national government to maximise the opportunity. ”

The information produced by UK Government alongside the Comprehensive Spending Review is very specific in emphasising the need for investment pipeline, noting that LGPs “must therefore include a shorter investment pipeline of priority projects that have specific significance for enabling growth”, the aim is to ensure Mayoral Strategic Authorities have support in accessing and securing private investment. The advice notes that MSAs should highlight 4 to 10 opportunities for investment, the most significant for unlocking economic growth. These should be:

There is further advice and suggested sequencing produced in the linked document. The advice also suggests that MSAs should engage with relevant stakeholders, business boards, innovation groups, higher education partners and others including Business Representative Groups and trade groups.

techUK commentary, Matt Robinson, Head of Nations and Regions:

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