An Act to make provision for the purposes of promoting public involvement in relation to local authorities and other public authorities; to make provision about bodies representing the interests of tenants; to make provision about local freedoms and honorary titles; to make provision about the procedures of local authorities, their powers relating to insurance and the audit of entities connected with them; to establish the Local Government Boundary Commission for England and to make provision relating to local government boundary and electoral change; to make provision about local and regional development; to amend the law relating to construction contracts; and for connected purposes.
The legislation places a duty on local authorities to promote understanding of the functions and democratic arrangements of the authority among local people. It establishes the framework for the establishment and functioning of the local authority leaders' boards that have been set up in the eight English regions outside London.
It allows the creation of appointed combined authorities covering multiple local authority areas.
Sections 103-107 provide for the Secretary of State to establish combined authorities covering the whole of two or more local government areas in England.[4]