# English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, Paragraph 1: Requirements to have and retain leader and cabinet executive

Extent: E+W

(1) LGA 2000 is amended in accordance with this paragraph.
(2) In section 9B (permitted forms of governance for local authorities in England)—
(a) after subsection (1) insert—
“(1A) But—
(a) a local authority may operate a committee system only—
(i) if it is operating a committee system immediately before section 61 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 comes into force, and
(ii) for as long as the operation of a committee system is consistent with the provisions of section 9K; and
(b) a new local authority must operate executive arrangements which provide for a leader and cabinet executive (England).”;
(b) in subsection (4), after the definition of “executive arrangements” insert—
““new local authority” means a local authority established on or after the day on which section 61 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 comes into force by an order made under section 7 or 10 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007;”.
(3) In section 9C (local authority executives), after subsection (3) insert—
“(3A) Subsections (1) to (3) are subject to section 9B(1A)(b) (new local authority must have a leader and cabinet executive (England)).”
(4) After section 9KA insert—
“Duty to retain leader and cabinet executive
9KAA (1) A local authority which is operating a leader and cabinet executive (England) must not cease to operate—
(a) executive arrangements, or
(b) a leader and cabinet executive (England).
(2) That duty applies to a local authority whenever it began to operate the leader and cabinet executive (England).”

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2026/23/schedule/29/paragraph/1 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/english-devolution-and-community-empowerment-act-2026/schedule-29/paragraph-1
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.