Derbyshire, Derby, Nottinghamshire, and Nottingham with a directly elected mayor, a historic devolution agreement was reached.
A new Mayoral Combined County Authority will be created to oversee the transfer of funds and authority from the national government to the East Midlands.
More than £1 billion in investments over 30 years to support the area’s schools, families, and jobs
A historic, first-of-its-kind county devolution agreement reached with the government today would provide local authorities additional authority to enhance transportation, advance skills training, and construct more appealing and reasonably priced houses in vast portions of the East Midlands.
Greg Clark, the Levelling Up Secretary, will sign the agreement with Derbyshire, Derby, Nottinghamshire, and Nottingham that will result in the appointment of a directly elected mayor in the region who will be in charge of implementing local priorities and who will be supported by a new £38 million per year investment fund that will invest £1.14 billion over 30 years.
The agreement fulfills the government’s pledge in its Levelling Up white paper, which was released at the beginning of the year, to transfer authority and funding from Whitehall to regional communities.
The agreed funds will be managed locally rather than by Whitehall, and a new Mayoral Combined County Authority will be established with authority over the region’s main adult education budget and more responsibility over transportation infrastructure.
Additionally, the next mayor will have the authority to designate Mayoral Development Areas, create Mayoral Development Corporations, and use compulsory acquisition powers to encourage development and the construction of additional dwellings.
Greg Clark, leveling up secretary, said:
The East Midlands is known for its economic vitality and has the potential to be the center of the future British economy. I have always felt that the East Midlands should have the autonomous budgets and powers that other regions of Britain have, so I’m delighted to be able to make that happen in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire.
I am pleased with how the councils in the area worked together to reach the first agreement of this kind in the nation, which will help citizens in all of the wonderful cities, towns, and villages across the area of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
The key to leveling up is to remove choices from Whitehall and return them to locals, and this agreement achieves just that.
Subject to identifying enough eligible projects for funding, the new East Midlands Combined County Authority will also be given control of over £17 million in additional funding for the construction of new homes on brownfield land in 2024–2025. Additionally, a further £18 million has been agreed to support housing priorities and promote Net Zero Ambitions in the region.
In a joint statement, Ben Bradley MP, Barry Lewis, Chris Poulter, David Mellen, and Ben Bradley, the leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, Derbyshire County Council, and the city councils of Derby and Nottingham, said:
We appreciate the government’s offer of a £1.14 billion devolution agreement for our area. It’s wonderful news.
We aim to get the most out of every dollar so that it may be put to good use and really improve people’s lives.
To give us the power and influence we deserve and to enable us to reach our full potential, we as leaders have all campaigned for a fairer share for our cities and counties and a louder voice for our region.
This agreement would contribute to the creation of more and better jobs through increased investment in our region, resulting in increased economic growth, better housing, transportation, and skill-training opportunities, as well as an improved, greener environment as we work toward becoming carbon neutral. We all wish to see these things, and we will cooperate for the East Midlands’ overall welfare.
We have been hampered because we haven’t always had the same resources or clout as other locations. This is a fantastic chance to alter that and give ourselves control over the process.
There is still much that has to be agreed upon, and this is just the beginning of the process. As other places have done, we’re committed to expand on this agreement over time.
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, a new devolutionary paradigm, calls for the creation of the first Mayoral Combined County Authority. This agreement can only be put into effect if the Bill, any relevant secondary legislation, and a public consultation have been approved by the Parliament.
As stated in the Levelling Up white paper released earlier this year, this is another significant step in the government’s commitment to ensuring that any region in England that wants a devolution agreement may have one by 2030.
By enhancing local abilities to match the unique demands of the community’s economy, new powers will contribute to the financial growth of the area. Additionally, there will be more authority to promote redevelopment, which will increase the availability of affordable housing for locals and raise the area’s appeal as a location to live, work, and travel.
further information
The Mayoral Combined County Authority, a novel devolutionary model that exclusively incorporates higher tier local authorities, will be the first of its kind. Working with the 15 district and borough councils in the area to make sure their opinions are heard is something that both the government and the upper tier councils put a high value on.
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, which is now making its way through Parliament, first established the new institutional model, which is subject to Royal Assent to the provisions within it.
There is a legal procedure that entails secondary legislation creating a combined county authority with the specified powers being ratified by the councils, approved by the Parliament, and ratification by the councils of their precise plans. If the Parliament approves, it is envisaged that the first mayoral election would occur in May 2024.