English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill: Motion relating to Lords Amendments 36, 90 and 155

What was this vote about?

This was a lords amendment on the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. The bill seeks to broaden English devolution by creating new regional authorities and extending mayoral powers over planning, housing, transport, police and fire services, with new rules for budgeting, governance and accountability. It has been through both Houses with extensive amendments about who can create or change authorities, how budgets are set, planning priorities (notably brownfield land), parish governance, and transparency requirements, with ongoing negotiations between the Lords and Commons.

• •- Creates new forms of English regional governance (foundation authorities and mayoral combined authorities) and expands powers for these authorities across planning, housing, transport, health, licensing and policing/fire functions.
• •- Governance safeguards: amendments consider whether councils must consent to new or changed authorities, how commissioners are appointed, and how budgets and local tax rules apply to these bodies.
• •- Planning and development policy debates: proposals to prioritise brownfield land before greenfield, the introduction of an "agent of change" principle to protect existing neighbours/businesses, and changes to how development is approved (including mayoral development orders).
• •- Local democracy and parish governance: measures to promote parish and town councils, allow unparished areas to form new councils, and require consultation with parishes in neighbourhood decisions, along with electoral reform considerations.

The result

440 of 650 eligible MPs voted (68% turnout)

How each party voted

Who rebelled?(1 MP)

Why it matters

MPs in the House of Commons voted 270 to 170 to approve Lords Amendments 36, 90 and 155 to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. The amendments, agreed by the Lords, include planning and local governance safeguards such as an agent of change to integrate new development with existing businesses and measures on parish governance and brownfield land priority, with one MP voting against their party whip. The outcome strengthens Lords-specified provisions shaping how planning and transport issues, including bus services regulation, are handled in the bill.

AI-generated context — may contain errors.

Turnout by party

What happens next?

The Lords amendment result is sent back to the other House for consideration.

Current stage: Consideration of Commons amendments and / or reasons