Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Devolution Deal announced: CCN response

Today the government has agreed a landmark devolution deal with councils in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

All four county council and city council leaders in the area have signed up to work on this devolution deal with the government, which if approved locally and nationally, will create the first-ever county combined authority.

The proposed deal includes a mayor for the area and an income stream of £38m per year for 30 years. A ‘Level 3’ devolution deal, it provides devolved powers in adult education, transport, and housing.

Cllr Martin Hill, Devolution Spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said:

“This is a significant devolution deal that has the potential to transform services and economic opportunities for hundreds of thousands of residents in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, putting powers in the hands of local leaders like those enjoyed by the neighbouring West Midlands Combined Authority.

“This landmark deal will create the first ever combined county authority, a model much more suited to large geographical county areas. Councillors and officers from all councils in both counties and neighbouring cities have worked hard to make this deal a reality and continued close collaboration will be key in progressing devolution for the area.

“With today’s announcement swiftly following the devolution deal in North Yorkshire, it is clear good progress is now being made on the county devolution agenda. With a new Prime Minister to be announced next week, we urge the new incumbent to go further and faster than before. They must ensure that the devolution measures in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill are passed through Parliament to get these arrangements up and running, while maintaining a cast iron commitment to the devolution framework and levelling up agenda articulated in the white paper earlier this year.”