Metro mayors to be questioned on Brexit impact

Andy Burnham

The impact of Brexit on local government is to come under scrutiny at a meeting of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee and metro mayors at Manchester University today (Monday, March 19).

The committee is to question Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, along with his counterparts from Tees Valley Ben Houchen, and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough James Palmer

Len Duvall, chair of the London Assembly’s EU Exit Working Group, will complete the witness panel.

The meeting is part of an inquiry examining the key concerns of the local government sector ahead of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and the desired outcomes of negotiations.

Questioning is likely to focus on the extent to which the Government is engaging with local authorities over Brexit, the effect of the loss of EU funding streams and changes to employment rights of workers and the potential to devolve EU powers to local government after withdrawal.

Clive Betts, chair of the HCLGC, said: “The UK’s withdrawal from the EU will have an impact on investment, development and funding for councils and with just over a year to go until Brexit, there is still more to do to ensure local government is not overlooked in the negotiations.

Our inquiry is examining the impact of Brexit on all types of local authorities and this session will help us understand what the priorities of the negotiations with the EU should be for city regions.”

Mike Amesbury, Jo Platt and Mary Robinson, MPs from nearby constituencies, are among committee members due to attend.

The event takes place at the university’s Whitworth Building, starting at 11am, and is open to the public.

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