East Midlands devolution plans get the go ahead from Derbyshire

Councillors at Derbyshire County Council have voted to press ahead with the process to set up a combined county authority for the East Midlands which would allow some decision-making powers to be devolved from Government to a local level – bringing in at least £1.14 billion of funding to the region.

At a meeting held on Wednesday 22nd March, the county council considered the results of a public consultation which showed substantial support for the devolution proposals which would see the county council form a combined county authority with Derby City Council, Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council.

Local leaders are backing devolution to promote economic growth, secure more investment in our area, for more and better jobs, and for better transport, skills training, housing, and an enhanced greener environment. 

If all four councils vote to move forward with the process, a final version of the devolution proposal could then be sent to the Government once the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill receives Royal Assent.

Councillor Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: “At the heart of this devolution proposal is a desire to seize every opportunity to improve people’s lives across our region by making sure we get a fair share of Government funding.

“This meeting takes us one step closer to agreeing plans to bring in £38 million a year and move major decision-making to the people who best know our communities, rather than Westminster.”

Leaders of the four councils signed up to work on a devolution deal in August 2022 at Rolls Royce in Derby, following an announcement from the Government that a package of new powers and funding, worth £1.14 billion, were available for the two counties and two cities.

A public consultation – which was open to residents, businesses, community and voluntary groups, and other employers in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Nottingham – was held between November 2022 to January 2023 and attracted 4,869 responses.

The number of responses was higher than similar consultations on devolution in other areas and the majority of responses backed the proposals:

• 53% agreed with the proposals for transport, compared to 35% disagreeing.
• 52% agreed with the proposals for skills, compared to 32% disagreeing.
• 51% agreed with the proposals for reducing carbon and improving the environment, compared to 33% disagreeing.
• 51% agreed with the proposals for public health, compared to 33% disagreeing.|
• 46% agreed with the proposals for homes, compared to 39% disagreeing.

The only area which was more balanced was in terms of the proposals for governance, with 42% agreeing and 45% disagreeing. Comments tended to centre around the need for a regional mayor. Having a regional mayor is a condition set by the Government for a level three deal, which offers the most powers and highest funding.

Councillor Lewis added: “I’m pleased that so many residents and organisations came forward to give their views about the East Midlands devolution proposal, and I’d like to thank everyone who took part.

“Clearly there was less support for an elected mayor which I fully acknowledge. The reality is, to obtain the greatest powers and highest levels of funding from the Government to benefit local people, an elected mayor is a condition of that deal.

“I firmly believe that by working together across traditional boundaries – and an elected mayor would play a key part in that – this devolution deal will help us attract more investment to our region, better support businesses, upskill our workforce, develop our infrastructure and improve public health.”

Historically, the East Midlands has often been an area of low Government funding, compared to many other areas of the UK. If the proposals for devolution go ahead, a guaranteed funding stream of £38 million a year for 30 years could help to reverse this trend.

Legislation to create the new form of Combined County Authority could be laid before Parliament later this year, which would then need to be approved and receive Royal Assent. This could happen in early 2024.

A new East Midlands Combined County Authority could then officially come into existence in spring 2024, with the first ever election for a regional mayor, covering Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Nottingham, taking place in May 2024.

A future mayor would be held to account by elected representatives from county and city councils in the East Midlands, as well as a scrutiny committee and audit committee. The mayor would be directly elected by residents in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Nottingham.