Report

A more collaborative way of governing? Why the UK’s Council of the Nations and Regions matters

This report from UK think tank PolicyWISE looks at how the new Council of the Nations and Regions can improve relationships and working practices between the UK government and devolved powers.

In this report, PolicyWISE and the Bennett Institute for Public Policy identify ways that the Council of the Nations and Regions, set up in 2024, can benefit the overall governance of the four nations of the UK. The report identifies how the Council can support the development of collaborative governance and increase knowledge sharing between the four nations. It discusses how the Council can offer clearer representation to English regions that have devolved powers and presents ways that the UK government can clarify its own role in a union of devolved powers. The report explores international models of cooperative governance that could inform the working practices of the Council, and aims to highlights the benefits of cooperation, working across boundaries and coming together to tackle common problems.