The main councils in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire say there is “substantial support” for their East Midlands devolution plans.
The councils want new powers coupled with at least £1.14 billion of funding over 30 years, through the proposed creation of an East Midlands Combined County Authority.
In joint statements the councils said members of the public, businesses, and community and voluntary groups generally backed the main principals of the changes. However there were still dome doubts over aspects of the plans.
The councils said there were almost 5,000 responses to a public consultation into the changes – with just over half saying they backed the councils’ plans for transport, skills, cutting carbon and public health. Around a third of those asked said they disagreed with the proposals for each of those categories.
Some 46 per cent agreed with plans for housing, compared to 39 per cent that disagreed. Plans for the way the new combined authority would operate were less well received – with 42 per cent in favour and 45 per cent against. The councils said comments tended to centre around the need for a regional mayor – a condition set by the Government for a level three deal, which offers the most powers and highest funding.
Some people were concerned having a mayor would put too much power in the hands of one people. Others felt it was unnecessary, would add additional cost and bureaucracy and could be too party political.
Some people also raised issue with the fact that Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council and Rutland County Council are not included in the plans – though there was scope for the two county councils to join at a later date.
The Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire councils argue that devolution will promote economic growth and secure investment for the region for more and better jobs, better transport, skills training, housing, and an enhanced greener environment. They said it would also mean more power in local hands.
They said: “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.”
Nottingham City Council leader Coun David Mellen said: “For too long we haven’t had the investment we need and deserve, and this deal would start to address this if given approval.
“But, this is just the start, and I would work to make sure that we get our fair share and make the most of any funding.
“As a core city leader in a region which has been hugely under-funded, I am gratified to see that residents across our four authorities recognise the benefits of being involved in a Combined County Authority.”
Both the Federation of Small Businesses and East Midlands Chamber said the scale of opportunity was huge – if done right.
FSB development manager Natalie Gasson-McKinley said: “There are lots of decisions that are made centrally around adult education budgets, around infrastructure, transport, so to have the opportunity for local people and local decision makers to shape those things and to really impact them is a really once in their lifetime opportunity.”
Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said a regional assembly could create the “political apparatus that removes any obstacles to national and local decision-making, enhances our ability to attract investment and ultimately creates a more business-friendly environment”.
If all four councils vote to accept the results of the consultation in the next few weeks, a final version of the devolution proposal would need to be sent to the Government.
The plans would then go through Parliament later this year, prior to Royal Assent, possibly in early 2024.
A new East Midlands Combined County Authority could then officially come into existence in spring 2024, with the first election for a regional mayor, covering Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Nottingham, 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.
