Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
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Post	Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Department	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Style	The Right Honourable
Seat	Westminster, London
Appointer	Monarch
Termlength	At His Majesty's pleasure
Formation	2006
First	Ruth Kelly

Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is a senior ministerial position in the United Kingdom responsible for policies on housing, local government, urban regeneration and regional development. The holder leads the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and works across Whitehall with ministers from the Treasury, Home Office, Department for Transport, and Ministry of Housing colleagues to coordinate funding and legislation. The office interfaces with devolved administrations including the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive, as well as local authorities such as councils in Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow.

Role and Responsibilities

The post entails oversight of national housing strategies affecting tenants in estates like Grenfell, planning policy influencing projects in Greater London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool, and regional funding allocations for areas such as the North East of England, West Midlands, South West England and Yorkshire and the Humber. The secretary works with figures including the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Transport to align investment in infrastructure projects like Crossrail and HS2 with local growth plans. Responsibilities include sponsoring agencies such as Homes England, collaborating with regulators like the Building Safety Regulator and engaging with stakeholders such as the Local Government Association, National Audit Office, Town and Country Planning Association and charities like Shelter (charity) and Crisis (charity). The role frequently involves parliamentary duties at the House of Commons, accountability to select committees including the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee and participation in intergovernmental forums with leaders from City of London Corporation and metropolitan mayors like the Mayor of London and Mayor of Greater Manchester.

History and Evolution of the Office

The post traces antecedents to cabinet roles in administrations of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron, with predecessors titled Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. The department has evolved through reforms introduced under cabinets led by Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson, Theresa May and earlier under John Major and Margaret Thatcher for local government portfolios. Major events influencing the office include responses to the 2008 United Kingdom bank rescue, the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire, and delivery of recovery programmes after the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. The portfolio absorbed duties from ministries handling urban policy during terms of ministers such as Ruth Kelly, Sajid Javid, Robert Jenrick and Michael Gove.

Powers and Functions

Statutory powers derive from primary legislation including the Planning Act 2008, Localism Act 2011, Housing and Planning Act 2016 and Building Safety Act 2022, granting the secretary authority to set national planning policy, allocate funding through mechanisms like the Levelling Up Fund and Town Deal, and issue statutory instruments affecting council governance in districts such as Cornwall Council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority. The secretary can intervene in failing local authorities, appoint commissioners as under provisions used in cases like Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and influence affordable housing delivery via partnerships with bodies including Homes England and the National Housing Federation. The office holds reserve powers to designate mayoral combined authorities, negotiate devolution deals with regions such as Tees Valley, West Midlands Combined Authority and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, and oversee grant conditions tied to capital projects like regeneration of Leamington Spa and waterfront schemes in Belfast and Newcastle upon Tyne.

List of Officeholders

Officeholders include senior politicians from parties such as the Conservative Party (UK), Labour Party (UK), Liberal Democrats (UK) and independent ministers appointed in coalition contexts. Notable holders have been Ruth Kelly, John Denham, Hazel Blears, Eric Pickles, Grant Shapps, Sajid Javid, Michael Gove, Robert Jenrick and Michael Gove (in separate portfolios). The list of secretaries reflects cabinet service under prime ministers including Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and others. Acting or interim arrangements have occurred during administrations with figures from the Privy Council stepping in temporarily; appointments are made by the Monarch of the United Kingdom on advice of the prime minister.

Structure and Supporting Departments

The secretary heads the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, supported by ministers such as the Minister of State for Housing, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Government, and leaders in agencies like Homes England, the Housing Ombudsman, and the Regulator of Social Housing. The department works alongside executive agencies and public bodies including the Planning Inspectorate, Her Majesty's Treasury, Cabinet Office, Department for Education on school place planning, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on rural housing, and local bodies such as London Borough of Camden and Manchester City Council. Cross-departmental programmes are coordinated with Historic England on heritage-led regeneration, Transport for London on transport-oriented development, and National Highways on infrastructure planning.

Policy Initiatives and Major Programs

Key initiatives administered or influenced by the office include the Levelling Up Fund, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the Affordable Homes Programme, the Right to Buy reforms, and the post-Grenfell remediation schemes under the Building Safety Act 2022. Major regeneration projects have involved partnerships in cities such as Birmingham, Liverpool, Glasgow, Newcastle upon Tyne and Leeds and delivery vehicles like local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) including Greater Cambridge and Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership. Additional programmes include urban renewal plans linked to HS2, town centre regeneration supported by the Future High Streets Fund, and housing delivery mechanisms engaging housebuilders such as Persimmon plc, Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Developments and housing associations like Peabody Trust and Clarion Housing Group. The secretary also leads policy responses to homelessness involving charities like St Mungo's (charity) and statutory duties under legislation such as the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.

Category:United Kingdom cabinet positions