County council to write to Prime Minister calling for support over ‘levelling up’ agenda

Nottinghamshire county councillors have agreed to write to Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling on the Government to support the county and the East Midlands’ “levelling up” agenda.

The decision was made at a meeting of full council late last week and will push for Ministers to provide the backing which the council says will ultimately act as a catalyst to deliver key investment projects across the region.

The council will stress to the Prime Minister how the area stands on “the cusp of significant levelling up opportunities” through the East Midlands Development Corporation (EMDevCo), which would deliver 84,000 jobs, up to 10,000 homes and add £4.8bn to the regional economy.

And it says with continued Government support and early decision-making, it can unlock “tangible outcomes and benefits” across the county and the wider East Midlands region.

Council leader, councillor Ben Bradley MP, said: “I’m delighted the county council has today agreed to write to the Prime Minister setting out our position which I believe will ultimately pave the way to deliver investment, growth, jobs for Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands.

“The is not about a combined unitary authority, but more importantly it’s about what investment we can bring down to this region from a national level.

“What this also means is that we can start to have a conversation and have that regional interaction that is more responsive to our needs.

“It may be only the start of a conversation, but we must do everything we can to have this discussion early.

“The Prime Minister made it clear last week in his ‘levelling up’ speech that this is crucial in delivering key funding to our area and I am delighted that we can now ask these questions as part of our lobbying for ‘levelling up’.”

The council will write to the Prime Minister asking him to:

• confirm the HS2 eastern leg will be constructed in full, with Toton as the Hub Station;
• confirm the full electrification of the Midland’s Mainline to enable Nottinghamshire to realise the economic and environmental benefits;
• place the EMDevCo on a statutory footing, recognising the potential it brings for planned and sustainable development, jobs, skills and homes;
• to prioritise the East Midlands for a devolution deal to accelerate growth and prosperity for Nottinghamshire and the wider region.
The Toton HS2 Hub will act as a catalyst for wider infrastructure plans and form part of a long-term vision for the future of the regional economy, which is being developed under the banner of the EMDevCo.

It is one of three sites including Ratcliffe on Soar and the East Midlands Airport area which is part of ambitions plans to boost the economy and fuel the post-Covid recovery.

EMDevCo is a collaboration between Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire county councils, Broxtowe and Rushcliffe borough councils and North West Leicestershire District Council and works in collaboration with Midlands Connect, Midlands Engine, the region’s universities, major commercial partners as well as D2N2 and the Chamber of Commerce.