The Order specified independent remuneration panels as relevant for determining allowances paid to commissioners in Combined Authorities and Combined County Authorities, coming into force on 4th June 2026.

This Statutory Instrument, the Combined Authorities (Overview and Scrutiny Committees, Access to Information and Audit Committees) (Amendment) Order 2026, amends the 2017 Order to formally designate independent remuneration panels established by Combined Authorities (CAs) and Combined County Authorities (CCAs) as 'relevant remuneration panels' under Schedule 5BA of the 2009 Act and Schedule 2A of the 2023 Act concerning the payment of allowances to appointed commissioners.

Authorized the manual verification and counting of Greater London Authority election ballots at multiple locations and times within a constituency.

These Rules amend the Greater London Authority Elections Rules 2007 to modify the procedures for manual ballot counting in Mayor of London and London Assembly elections.

The measures authorize Constituency Returning Officers to separate, verify, and count ballot papers at multiple times and locations within an Assembly constituency.

The Rules also mandate the mixing of postal ballots and ballots from different boxes before counting begins and remove requirements related to electronic counting systems for these specific scenarios.

Mandated that local planning authorities use standardized digital formats for publishing plan timetables and housing requirement data starting May 2026.

These Regulations establish mandatory digital data standards for local planning authorities in England regarding the publication of local plans, minerals and waste plans, and housing requirements.

The instrument designates specific documents, such as plan timetables and the minimum number of expected homes, as "planning data" under the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.

These authorities must ensure that such data complies with technical standards published by the Secretary of State whenever they publish or update their plans at specified stages of the planning process.

Expanded pension eligibility to include elected members and mayors of the Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority.

These Regulations amend the Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority Regulations 2026 to grant elected members of that authority access to the Local Government Pension Scheme.

They mandate that any allowance paid to a member, excluding travel and subsistence, is treated as pensionable income.

The Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority is directed to make the necessary employer contributions and payments to fund these pension benefits for its members.

Created a new statutory body called the Birmingham East Mayoral Development Corporation to oversee urban development in a designated section of the West Midlands.

This Order establishes a Mayoral development corporation for a designated area in East Birmingham, formally named the Birmingham East Mayoral Development Corporation.

Starting 11 May 2026, the Corporation functions as a statutory body under the West Midlands Combined Authority, tasked with urban development within the geographic boundaries defined by the associated official map.

The Order applies to the Secretary of State, the West Midlands Combined Authority, and any persons or entities operating within the specified development area.

Mandated a one-year notice period for new council tax premiums on second homes in specific areas following local government reorganisations.

These Regulations amend the Local Government (Structural Changes) (Finance) Regulations 2008 to clarify how new successor councils in England must implement higher council tax rates on periodically occupied dwellings.

They direct that when a new council is formed from multiple predecessor authorities, any new decision to charge higher council tax in an area where it was not previously charged is treated as a 'first determination.' This triggers a legal requirement under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for the council to make that decision at least one year before the start of the financial year in which the higher rate takes effect.

Modified the legal framework for how local authorities and the Secretary of State revoke or prepare joint minerals and waste planning documents in England.

These regulations amend previous 2026 legislation to modify the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 as it relates to minerals and waste plans in England.

The instrument establishes specific requirements for minerals and waste planning authorities to revoke existing documents when new plans take effect and clarifies the legal framework for joint plans.

It directs how the Secretary of State may intervene or revoke documents at the request of local authorities and specifies that joint plans must be adopted by all participating authorities to be valid.

The Regulations established the Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority, defined its constitution, set the election date for its first Mayor, concurrently transferred specific transport and economic development functions, and detailed its funding structure via contributions from the constituent councils.

These Regulations establish the Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority (CCA), encompassing Brighton and Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council, and West Sussex County Council, as a body corporate effective from the date the regulations were made, with mayoral functions commencing from May 2028.

The CCA is granted concurrent functions related to local transport planning, data sharing for crime reduction, and economic development, alongside powers for the authority to pay grants.

The regulations define the constitution of the CCA, mandate its funding through contributions from constituent councils based on population share, and set out the election cycle, term of office, and executive powers of the directly elected Mayor.