An Introduction by Cathy Parker MBE SFIPM, Chair of IPM and Professor of Retail at
Manchester Metropolitan University

Just a week has passed since the latest House of Commons statement on devolution, reinforcing the
Government’s commitment to devolution. This follows the publication of the English Devolution White
Paper, Power and Partnership: Foundations for Growth, which sets out the Government’s vision for
shifting power from Whitehall to local communities.

The government says that its ambition is clear: it wants to empower local leaders who truly understand
their communities, ensuring that decisions are made closer to the people they affect. But will it work?
When organisations such as the National Association of Local Councils are questioning whether the
proposed devolution will genuinely empower communities, one must ask: is it simply a redistribution of
power within existing structures, concentrating authority in combined authorities?