A strategic authority is a group of councils that takes on powers from central
government, over things such as transport, adult skills and housing. Those led by
an elected mayor hold more of these powers than those without one.
In July 2026, Andy Burnham's government
committed
to having a strategic authority in place across all of England by the end of 2028.
Not all of them will have a mayor.
These tools show what powers each authority holds, how its economy compares with
the others, and which authorities face similar problems.
Team
Developed by Josh Hellings, Data Scientist; Hannah Cantekin and Sarah Rashid, Policy Officers.
LSE Growth Lab,
School of Public Policy, London School of Economics
The Growth Lab is partnered with LSE Cities to perform research and build evidence on England's devolution projects.
England's MSAs
