The government has put a renewed emphasis on devolution since it came into power in July, with a push for local leaders to take up more control over local decisions.
As reported by Public Sector Executive recently, the government has already committed to furthering devolution in a number of areas, however, a number of other councils have now expressed their interest in getting their own deal. The deadline for submitting an Expression of Interest was the 30th September, as outlined by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
Councils around the country have submitted their Expressions of Interest to the government, with reasons varying from tackling regional disparities, achieving untapped potential and driving economic growth. The areas that have submitted their interest include:
- Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire
- Essex
- Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness
- Brighton and Hove
The first deal would see Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire Councils coming together for a deal for ‘Wessex’. As they acknowledge the fact that the areas do have their own respective goals however there are still important synergies that can be explored. These include driving growth, improving public services, and ensuring better local decision-making.
A joint statement from the leaders of Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire Councils said that “Dorset, Somerset, and Wiltshire Councils are keen to explore how together they may better meet residents’ needs and align with the Government’s vision for devolution.”
The expression of interest for Essex did not feature another county council, however, it does involve a number of other local councils of all levels. As the county council confirmed that the expression of interest had been submitted, it outlined that a number of benefits could be achieved for the region, including a stronger transport network, investment to prioritise local businesses, building a skills base that suits local needs, and the development of better homes and infrastructure.
Further along the South Coast, Brighton and Hove City Council confirmed that it had submitted an Expression of Interest as it outlined its commitment to working alongside neighbouring local authorities to achieve the best outcomes for Sussex. The leaders of the city council, Horsham District Council, Worthing Borough Council, Mid Sussex District Council. Adur District Council. Arun District Council, Crawley Borough Council, and Chichester District Council all co-signed the letter.
Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Cllr Bella Sankey, touched on the positives that a deal could bring to Sussex, saying:
“There’s extensive economic and business experience across all out local authority boundaries, so we are well-placed to be involved in discussions about deeper collaboration through devolution.
“We’ve started the journey of building stronger partnerships in Sussex and are open to continuing these conversations and working together to find the right devolution geography that will work for all our residents.
“This is an exciting time. Devolution has the potential to unlock powers and funding that would drive economic growth and ensure that decisions are made closer to the local people, communities and businesses they affect.”
In the North of England, the government’s commitment to delivering devolution across the entire north is being backed up by an Expression of Interest from Cumberland Council, alongside Westmorland and Furness Council. The interest in this deal comes as the councils are already working together for the benefit of the Cumbria region, including through the Cumbria Economic Growth Board.
Councillor Mark Fryer, Leader of Cumberland Council, commented on the interest saying:
“Devolution is an exciting prospect, and we are keen to see how it can enhance our collaborative efforts and drive positive change for the people of Cumberland.
“We continue to work with Westmorland and Furness Council on a variety of hosted and shared services. The relationship between the two councils is as strong as ever, and the CLEP transfer is a catalyst for us working together on the economic prosperity of Cumbria.
“We are fully supportive of key developments underway within the wider region and know there is a real benefit to us working together to create a strong voice for Cumbria.”
By expressing interest in exploring the possibility of devolution, the councils are not bound to follow through with devolution, however, it will allow the government to see which areas are interested in building more local control.
Image credit: iStock
