Brexit and local authority inquiry launched

The Communities and Local Government Committee will examine the impact of Brexit on local authorities and the role they could play post-Brexit.

The committee will explore which powers currently held by the EU could be transferred to town halls after the UK's exit as part of its investigation into how local government is engaged in the Brexit negotiations.

Clive Betts, chair of the committee, said: "The previous Secretary of State said last year that local government must be represented in the negotiations on the terms of the UK's exit from the EU, but the role of local authorities post-Brexit is still unclear. We hope our inquiry will help to clarify what the best possible outcome of those talks for local government would look like.

“We will be investigating which powers local authorities could take as they are returned from Brussels and explore how our departure from the EU might affect investment, development, and economic funding affecting local authorities. We will also want to look at the employment of EU nationals and how local workforces may be impacted by Brexit, in areas such as adult social care and construction."

The committee is expected to hold a series of one-off evidence sessions running until early 2019 with the first evidence session to be held later this year.