Public consultation on £1.14bn East Midlands devolution proposal for for Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Derby ends on January 9

The public consultation about devolution plans for Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Derby will end on Monday, January 9.

The consultation, which opened on November 14, has thousands of responses to date with people taking the opportunity to have their say about devolution proposals.

It is open to residents, businesses, community and voluntary groups, and other organisations in the region, with authorities urging everyone to have their say on the proposals before the consultation closes.

The leaders of the four councils all signed up to work on a devolution deal in August 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 then the councils have worked on agreeing a more detailed proposal for the consultation, which includes more information about how devolution would work in our area.

It was then 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.

“I’d encourage everyone to take part in the consultation and give us their views on the devolution deal.”

Under devolution the region would be provided 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.

The new elected regional mayor, like those who are already in place in other areas such as Greater Manchester, would represent the whole area.

This role would be used to look at major issues affecting the region, give the area a bigger voice, and take advantage of local knowledge and expertise.

As well as the £1.14bn, devolution plans include an extra £16m for new homes on brownfield land, and control over a range of budgets like the Adult Education Budget, which could be better tailored to the needs of people in our communities.

Nottinghamshire County Council say that devolution would mean that a future mayor and combined authority could:

• Work towards Net Zero and cleaner air with new low carbon homes, retrofit existing houses with external wall insulation, promote the use of renewable energy, and protect and enhance green spaces, like areas for wildlife and green verges.
• Build on the region’s existing knowledge and expertise in green technology and promote the growth of a future low carbon economy by investing in related skills training at colleges and other training facilities.
• Set up and coordinate smart integrated ticketing and enhanced concessionary fares schemes.
• Work with Homes England to build more affordable homes, by using new powers to buy land and housing (With district and borough council consent).
• Enhance the region’s economy by developing new commercial space to maximise opportunities.
• Work with national government on initiatives to address homelessness, domestic abuse, community safety, social mobility, and support for young people.
• Take advantage of economies of scale by using combined and devolved budgets to deliver more value for taxpayers and more cost-efficient services.

If the devolution deal is formally approved, the government would pass legislation bringing a new combined authority for the East Midlands into existence. The first election for a regional mayor would then be held in May 2024.

The regional mayor would lead the new combined authority, which would also include representatives from local councils, with decision making powers and resources moving from London to the East Midlands. Local businesses would also have a voice, as well as other organisations.

No local councils will be scrapped or merged as part of the devolution deal, all of which would continue to exist as they do now and would still be responsible for most public services in the area.

The mayor and combined authority would instead focus on wider issues like transport, regeneration, and employment across the region.