Strengthening the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

Submission of Amendments

Author

Trevor MacFarlane

Description

This detailed policy submission sets out a series of proposed amendments to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, designed to embed culture, creativity and heritage within England’s emerging framework for devolved governance. The paper argues that high-quality devolution depends not only on shifting powers but on building the civic and cultural capabilities that make places thrive. It proposes statutory recognition of culture as a devolved competence, new duties for Strategic Authorities to produce Cultural Ecosystem Plans, establishing Culture Forums and appointing Culture Commissioners, alongside measures for cultural data, infrastructure, community rights and investment. Together, these amendments would ensure culture sits alongside transport, housing and skills as a core pillar of place-based leadership — turning devolution into a living expression of local identity, trust and pride in place.

Published as part of The Future of Cultural Devolution in the UK.

October 2025