Consultation on £1.1bn devolution deal set to end
The public consultation over the £1.1bn devolution plans for Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Nottingham will end today (Monday 9 January).
The councils at the heart of the deal say there have been “thousands” of responses so far. The consultation has been open to residents, businesses, community and voluntary groups and other organisations in the region.
The leaders of Derbyshire County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Derby City Council, and Nottingham City Council all signed up to work on a devolution deal on 30 August this year at Rolls Royce in Derby, following an announcement from the Government that a package of new powers and funding, worth £1.14bn, were available for the two counties and two cities.
Since August the councils worked on agreeing a more detailed proposal for the consultation, which includes more information about how devolution would work in our area.
The four councils agreed to go ahead with a public consultation as the next step in the process, so everyone has the chance to give their views on the proposal.
Ben Bradley MP, leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “It’s great news that we’re moving forward with devolution plans for Nottinghamshire and the wider area. I’m really pleased that we’re making progress with this.
“Devolution can bring real benefits for local people, as it has done in other parts of the country. It will mean more funding for our region, and the opportunity to have more meaningful decisions made here, near the people they affect, rather than in London, so they can be better tailored to local needs.
“This is an opportunity to create jobs, boost our economy, enhance transport, build more and better homes, improve our environment, and more, and we need to grab it with both hands. I don’t want our area to miss out on a chance to improve things for everyone who lives and works here.
“Devolution can help us be more effective locally, make better use of public money, and most importantly, improve people’s lives. It would lay the groundwork for us to build on in the future, to benefit future generations.”
Chris Poulter, leader of Derby City Council, said: “The East Midlands has long been overlooked and held back compared to other areas of the country. The cities and counties in our region should have a bigger voice, and this devolution deal would give us the influence, funding, and powers that we deserve.
“The investment in this deal will bring with it many opportunities. We could see more jobs, better transport and housing, an enhanced greener environment, and more value for money of services provided for our people.
“The proposals that we’re consulting on are just the beginning, and we’re determined to build on it over time. I would encourage everyone to give us their views on the deal by taking part in the consultation.”
Devolution would provide the region with a guaranteed income stream of £38 million per year over a 30-year period, and would cover around 2.2 million people, making it one of the biggest devolved areas in the country.
If the plans go ahead, it will mean a new regional mayor and it would create the first of a new type of combined authority for the two counties and two cities, which requires new legislation from central government.
