The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word DECENTRALISE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
D
E
C
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A
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More clues leading to the result DECENTRALISE
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "delegate to local authority" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case delegate to local authority = decentralise.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DECENTRALISE mean?
DECENTRALISE verb- To cause something to change from being concentrated at one point to being distributed across a number of points.
- To reduce the authority of a governing body by distributing that authority among several bodies.