These were initially proposed as ‘County Deals’ by various areas, but in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Nottingham, our Leaders and Chief Executives are working together to get the best possible deal for the region.
This means that we are now pursuing an agreement to set up a Mayoral County Combined Authority, which gives us greater opportunities to secure the investment and powers that we want to bring out of Whitehall to our local areas.
Prior to the recent changes in Number 10 we were expecting that a deal would be agreed in Autumn, but the timescales have now accelerated and we are moving at full pace to agree a deal with the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. We expect the deal to be confirmed towards the end of August or early September and it will then be subject to public consultation, local agreement and legislative change. I will keep you informed as we move forward about what our deal might look like in terms of local powers and funding.
This is a real opportunity for the East Midlands to get on to a similar footing as the West Midlands and Greater Manchester, and we welcome it with open arms. It is not about local government reorganisation and no councils will be abolished: it is about getting a fair share for the people of Derbyshire and bringing in more jobs and skills, improving housing and transport, and fundamentally supporting a better quality of life for people in the region.
As you would imagine we have been having extensive discussions with our borough and district colleagues about the opportunity and have also engaged with key partners in the NHS and police to ensure that their voices are heard at this crucial stage. I look forward to keeping you up to date and speaking to you all more about the opportunity and its potential to make a real difference in our fantastic county.