Why putting ‘rural affairs’ into the Devolution Bill matters for the countryside

I joined the CLA a month ago, and one thing has already become clear: decisions made in Whitehall still too often miss what’s happening in the countryside. That’s why the latest announcement on devolution matters.

As MPs debate the Devolution Bill again, the UK Government has confirmed it will support adding the term ‘rural affairs’ to the list of responsibilities of mayors and councils. This is an important step that puts rural interests clearly into the devolution framework.

Devolution moves power out of Whitehall and into your local area. The government is giving more powers to mayors and unitary councils while scrapping district councils in some areas.

The real question is whether – after all this restructuring – rural areas are properly considered in decisions on transport, housing, skills, land use and growth.

Until now, the bill did not clearly recognise rural affairs. This created a real risk of an urban‑first approach, even in areas that are mostly countryside. Rural areas cover around 85% of England’s land and contribute £259bn to the economy, yet they are still too often treated as an afterthought.

Adding this term to the bill puts rural issues firmly into the devolution system. It gives mayors and combined authorities a clearer basis to engage with rural businesses, farming, land use and communities.

Writing rural affairs into the bill means that it doesn’t rely on goodwill or guidance. It becomes part of how devolution works in practice.

For the CLA, the addition creates a clear hook to work with new councils and mayors as they set priorities for growth and investment in rural areas in the wake of the local elections on 7 May.

The CLA worked closely with MPs, peers, and partners such as the Royal Town Planning Institute and the NFU to get this over the line. We are also running a cross-party parliamentary inquiry to see how devolution will affect rural areas on the ground, with a full report this summer.