Chapter 1 of Part 2 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (“the 2023 Act”) provides for the establishment of combined county authorities for areas consisting of the whole area of a two-tier county council, plus a minimum of one or more whole areas of another two-tier county council, unitary county council or unitary district council in England. Combined county authorities are bodies corporate which may be given power to exercise specified functions.

The Secretary of State may provide for there to be a mayor for the area of a combined county authority. Paragraph 3(d) of Schedule 2 to the 2023 Act provides for the Secretary of State to make provision in regulations as to the filling of vacancies in the officer of a mayor of a combined county authority.

These Regulations make provision for the Combined Authorities (Mayors) (Filling of Vacancies) Order 2017 (“the 2017 Order”) to apply to combined county authorities. The provisions of the 2017 Order concerning the filling of vacancies, the notice requirements of a vacancy, the date of a by-election arising from a vacancy and the term of office of a person filling a vacancy at a by-election apply to a combined county authority as they do to a combined authority.

A full regulatory impact assessment has not been prepared as this instrument will have no impact on the costs of business and the voluntary sector.