English Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Overview of the bill and its relevance to environmental health

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill is a restructuring of local and regional government in England, which aims to create a default framework for devolution. Local and regional government will be given new powers over areas like health, housing and economic development for devolved areas (for Strategic Authorities as they are named in the Bill) across England.

The Bill underlines a commitment to place-based, strategic governance that supports community empowerment while aligning with broader public sector reform initiatives such as the NHS's 10-Year Plan and the prevention agenda.

This Bill carries significant implications for environmental health professionals, particularly those working within local authorities. The impact of LGR, the creation of new strategic authorities across England, and new powers and duties given to strategic authorities will directly impact their day-to-day functions. While the reforms present opportunities to raise the profile of environmental health within newly established governance structures, there is also a real risk to communities if the profession’s expertise and contributions are not adequately recognised and safeguarded.

Strategic restructuring: what is being proposed?

Key clause: Clause 44 – The New Health Inequalities Duty

Clause 44 (previously Clause 43 in the Commons) introduces a statutory duty for all Combined and Combined County Authorities to actively reduce health inequalities in their areas.

Authorities will now be legally required to:

• Consider health improvement as part of all functions.
• Address health inequalities in regional policy and service delivery.

Government Amendment 116 - the 'Environmental Factors' amendment

Government Amendment 116, or the ‘Environmental Factors’ amendment to the health inequalities duty for Strategic Authorities expands the duty's list of general health determinants to include Environmental Factors such as 'air quality and access to green space and bodies of water'.

Implications:

• Aligns closely with NHS and Integrated Care System (ICS) objectives around population health.
• Offers opportunities for EHPs to engage with place-based public health delivery as advisers or commissioners.
• Reinforces environmental health's contribution to the wider prevention agenda within the profession.

CIEH advocacy and strategic alignment

Throughout the passage of the Bill, CIEH has liaised with both the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Department of Health and Social Care, with a particular emphasis on the new bespoke duty introduced by the Bill.

CIEH backed a Healthy Air Coalition amendment to the Bill, which was later mirrored by Government Amendment 116. The CIEH Policy team is engaging stakeholders with the aim that the role of EHPs is reflected in forthcoming Government guidance.

Strategic alignment

The Bill arrives at a time when the NHS is undergoing its own reform, with a renewed focus on prevention, early intervention, and cross-sector integration through the 10-Year Plan. The creation of new regional governance bodies under Clause 44 could mirror or align with similar structures in NHS and ICB configurations.

EHPs are uniquely placed to bridge gaps across environmental, health, and housing domains - making them valuable actors in this reformed landscape. However, this will be realised only if their roles are clearly defined and embedded in strategic decision-making structures.

Risks and challenges: The potential for marginalisation

As services are restructured and roles become more regionalised:

• EHPs will need the profession to be formally integrated into the governance of new authorities.
• Understanding of place-based public health needs will need to span unitary authority boundaries.
• EHP expertise in housing, food safety, air quality and health protection must be considered by the leadership teams in the new authorities.

If these measures are not put in place, CIEH would be concerned about possible risks to the visibility and influence of Environmental Health, which may lead to less effective public health services without these elements in place.

Next steps: Supporting the profession through change

CIEH is closely monitoring the progression of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill and its implications for the environmental health profession. We have already been engaging with relevant ministers and stakeholders to ensure the voice of Environmental Health is represented during this crucial period of reform.

We are committed to keeping our members informed and equipped to navigate the changes ahead. As the Bill develops, we will:

• Continue our engagement with government and key decision-makers to advocate for the vital role of Environmental Health Practitioners.
• Highlight the profession’s critical contributions to prevention, public health improvement, and community resilience.
• Provide timely updates and resources to support members as new governance structures take shape.

Next steps for the Bill

The Bill is passing through its House of Lords Committee stage and Clause 44 and the 'Environmental Factors' amendment have passed scrutiny at this stage. The first day of the Bill in the Lords Report Stage will be Tuesday 24th where if it passes the final day on Monday 13^th April it will move onto Third Reading. If it passes those it will be sent back to the Commons to pass some minor procedural amendments the government has added to the Bill during its time in the Lords. We will continue to engage with members to reflect their interests and concerns about the new Bill and will continue our work with Parliamentarians to advocate for Environmental Health Professionals being included in the guidance of the Bill. 

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