What does a combined authority allow neighboring councils to do?

A combined authority facilitates collaboration among neighboring councils, enabling them to work together and make collective decisions on various matters, especially those that affect the wider region. This structure is often formed to enhance strategic decision-making and improve regional governance, allowing councils to pool resources and coordinate their efforts more effectively.

Through a combined authority, councils can tackle issues that transcend individual local boundaries, such as transportation, housing, and economic development. This collective approach is aimed at addressing challenges and leveraging opportunities that require a unified strategy, making it beneficial for all the participating councils and their communities.

The other options do not accurately reflect the purpose of a combined authority. While councils certainly have varied powers, including aspects like increasing council tax or regulating certain local services, those actions do not encapsulate the primary function of a combined authority, which is centered around collective decision-making and regional collaboration.