英国首相安迪·伯纳姆宣布一项重大财税权力改革，将向英格兰地方市长下放显著权限 [1]。根据这一政策，市长从2028年起将能保留其地区产生的部分所得税收入，并从2027年4月起获得当地商业税收 [1]。伯纳姆称这是"一代人以来最大的权力转移" [1]，旨在打破市长对威斯敏斯特财政部补助金的长期依赖。
这一改革将显著扩大市长的财政自主权和借贷能力。根据政策设计，市长可以以未来收入为担保获得为期30年的贷款，用于融资大型基础设施项目 [1]。大曼彻斯特地区在2024-25年度保留的商业税已达1亿英镑 [1]。曼彻斯特市长奥利弗·科帕德对这一改革表示欢迎，认为它将"让我们摆脱财政部的死亡之握" [1]。
这一改革在地区间的收益存在显著差异。根据Re:State智库的分析报告，伦敦若获得20便士基本税率下的2.5%所得税，2026-27年将获得23亿英镑收入，而赫尔及东约克郡同期仅获1.35亿英镑 [1]。目前，英格兰直接选举产生的市长控制着占全国人口四分之三的地区 [1]。
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a major fiscal devolution plan designed to shift financial power from Westminster to England's local leaders [1]. Under the new framework, directly elected mayors will retain a portion of income tax revenues generated within their regions starting in 2028, while gaining access to business rate income from April 2027 [1]. The policy aims to grant mayors greater borrowing capacity, enabling them to secure 30-year loans backed by future tax revenue and reducing their dependence on Treasury grants [1].
Manchester Mayor Oliver Coppard described the initiative as liberation from the "Treasury death grip," while Burnham characterized it as "the biggest devolution of power in a generation" [1]. Greater Manchester stands to retain £100 million in business rates during the 2024-25 financial year under these arrangements [1]. However, analysis by the Re:State think tank reveals significant regional disparities: London would receive £2.3 billion in 2026-27 under a 2.5% income tax share at a 20p basic rate, while Hull and East Yorkshire would secure only £135 million [1]. England's directly elected mayors currently oversee regions representing three-quarters of the national population [1].